


Little Bird

by ZephyrVolashki



Series: Flightless Slave [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Graphic Description, Healing, Human Experimentation, Injury Recovery, M/M, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24701752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZephyrVolashki/pseuds/ZephyrVolashki
Summary: Flightless Slave Mini-Sequel: Eros may have escaped Devoly, but now he must face the challenge of becoming truly free.
Series: Flightless Slave [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828042
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue  
In the dimly lit underground room of a building hidden among the slums of a seemingly abandoned town, a woman was standing and waiting. To those who didn’t know her, she seemed calm and lost in thought, her posture was balanced between relaxed and confident as one hand tapped her leg subconsciously. However, those who knew her read her face as cold, calculating, and one that dared anyone to disobey.   
She was facing away from the men and women who sat, herself choosing to stand rather than place herself in one of the office chairs tucked into an oblong table which took up most of the room. Everyone was waiting anxiously for her to speak, but she was silent.  
She wore her black hair in a tightly-coiled bun, and her dark skin contrasted the white pantsuit which was her regular attire. She was a no-shit kind of woman who had learned long ago how power was gained and lost. Her life had been spent fighting privileged and entitled people, men mostly, who had been born with many advantages, and she had finally become successful. But she had made the mistake in opening her connections to that damned Doctor who had promised her many things.  
Indeed, he had been successful in providing her with convenient collars which ensured she could manipulate even the most stubborn of people into doing her bidding, but he had failed in keeping his subjects secure.  
Loose ends were always the undoing of a powerful organization and an escaped man with wings, an American no less, could topple her life’s work.  
The tense silence was broken as a woman entered the room, looking sheep-ish.  
“Ma’am, we haven’t been able to make any contact, the system is still on lockdown, making communication nearly impossible.”  
“Nearly impossible?” The woman asked, making the worker regret her choice of words.  
“Well, yes. Or, I mean haven’t really- they haven’t been able to contact anyone so far.” She stuttered out.  
The woman wasn’t actually looking to make contact as she had formed a solution eons ago, but she couldn’t help entertaining herself a bit by scaring the poor woman in the doorway.  
The woman in charge looked down at her wrist, which held a handy watch that her workers were familiar with enough to know it did so much more than tell time. She held it up so she could look at it, feigning thoughtfulness.  
“I suggest you determine exactly how ‘impossible’ it is to make contact within the next minute, unless you would like it to be the very last minute of your life.” She lowered the watch and turned her gaze to the woman who was visibly shaking in the doorway, nodding her head rapidly before she turned and ran.  
“Now then.” She turned her attention for the first time towards those sitting at the table who had remained in tense silence. “It doesn’t actually matter if we can or cannot make contact.” She was met with several looks of surprise as she continued, “I took precautionary measures when I oversaw the construction of the island’s facilities, and added several… systems, which will ensure that there will be no one alive to pass on information to our enemies.”  
“What if the Doctor is alive?” One of the men asked, lowering his eyes quickly when her gaze swept over him.  
She didn’t feel the need to share that she had access to the cameras within the facility and had watched a recording as one of the prototypes had removed Devoly’s eye with a scalpel before using the same scalpel to stab him to death, as well as castrate him.   
“I wouldn’t worry about him.” Was all she said and the matter was closed.  
“Even with the island destroyed, we still have the issue of Subject EV134 who has escaped with several others. Luckily there is only one place they can go.” She turned to a man sitting at the table who had been listening intently. “Coshgit.”  
“Yes ma’am?”   
“Assemble a team to intercept the escapees in Madagascar. Our goal is to ensure that they are not seen by anyone, erase all evidence of them and bring them directly to me.”  
“Aye-aye ma’am.” Coshgit stood to attention before heading for the door.  
“Oh, and one last thing to remember,” she added, making the man stop as his hand reached the handle.  
“The security of our organization and your continual status as well as that of your family of being ‘alive’ depends on stopping them from making any contact with a single human.”  
The man nodded gravely and met her eyes.  
“Kill them if you must.”


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
Eros wailed in anguish as Nathan tore into him without any preparation. He was on his hands and knees which were bruised and cut from the wooden deck where the other guards watched and laughed. Tears of humiliation brewed in his eyes and he twisted his body to try and hit Nathan but to no avail as his shackled wrists were grabbed by Richard.  
Without his hands to support his body, Eros fell forward, face inches away from smashing into the deck as his wrists in the grip of Richard barely held him off the deck. Eros let out a shriek of frustration and pain as Nathan used the position to his advantage to thrust particularly rough.  
“That’s right, keep your mouth open Princess” Richard growled as he placed Eros’ hands on the ground, lowering his body before gripping Eros’ face and pulling it up.  
Eros had immediately snapped his jaw shut with Richard’s revolting words but this did not deter Richard who stroked Eros’ tear-stained cheeks a few times before switching his grip and plugging Eros’ nose tightly. Familiar with this game but still unable to stop the inevitable, Eros brought his hands up to Richard, trying to remove his grip but Nathan caught his wrists before he could.  
When he could no longer stand the burning of suffocation, Eros opened his mouth to breathe and Richard took advantage of this, never pausing if Eros was on the verge of passing out or choked.  
Especially if he choked.  
It seemed like eternity that Eros was forced to stay in this uncomfortable position while he had to perform horrid tasks, and he closed his eyes as tears fell.  
When Eros finally opened his eyes again, he screamed.  
Devoly’s face leered down at Eros who was no longer being held down by Richard and Nathan, who, like the rest of the guards, were nowhere to be seen.  
“I told you if you tried to run I would rape and kill every last one of your friends, and I being a man of morals like to hold to my promises. But before you watch, you are going to get a little taste of what’s in store for them.” Devoly’s long, thin fingers snaked towards Eros who jerked away, finding to his surprise that he was no longer shackled down.  
Eros jolted away from Devoly and began to run, he tried to jump into the air to fly away but excruciating agony pierced through his back and he fell forward. When he could finally breathe past the pain, Eros turned and watched as Devoly stalked towards him like a predator, holding Eros’ broken and bloody wings.  
With a cry of horror, Eros turned and tried to crawl away but Devoly caught up to him with ease and grabbed Eros by his hair, pulling him up just far enough that Devoly could press his lips to Eros’ ear and whisper to him.  
“You will never escape me, Little Bird.”  
Eros jolted forward with a cry and as arms grabbed him, he struggled as hard as he could. He was sweating profusely and the fear that Devoly had gotten him gripped his heart as he fought his attacker.  
“Eros.”  
That wasn’t Devoly’s voice. Eros paused his struggling for a brief moment.  
“You’re alright, they aren’t here.”  
Eros recognized the voice and his vision returned, along with his memory of where he was. Iman was looking at him calmly, and moved her arms and hands off of his body. She stepped away slowly with her hands in the air like Eros was a wild animal while he breathed heavily.  
After he was able to calm down, Eros took in his surroundings, noting the silent looks of concern which three of the SEALs gave him.  
Eros turned away embarrassed and looked to Devin who was much better at concealing any reaction to Eros’ panic attack.  
“I’ll take over. Eros muttered to him and although Devin questioned whether or not Eros was safe to pilot the helicopter, he didn’t argue and moved so Eros could take control.  
Devin moved to the back of the helicopter with his men while Iman sat in the co-pilot’s seat next to Eros. She didn’t try to pry into what had made Eros freak out and he was grateful for that.  
“How long was I asleep?” He asked after a few minutes.  
“About three and a half hours.” Iman murmured and consulted the GPS. “We should arrive at the southern shore of Madagascar in roughly thirty minutes.  
Eros nodded at that and they sat in silence until he spotted the faint outline ahead.  
“Land!” He called out, Iman and the others took his word for it, they didn’t have nearly as much experience as he did with being able to make out shapes which were miles away. Especially in the dark.  
Devin returned to the front of the helicopter.  
“You remember what I told you about the Malagasy government in regards to our mission right?” He asked Eros.  
Eros cringed, he couldn’t remember most of it, other than how after Devin had told him, the guards had forced Eros into sucking him off. He would never be able to forgive himself for raping another person.  
“Not really.” Eros muttered dejectedly and Devin gave him a curious look.  
“Well the Malagasy government refrained from sharing with the US about the signal a tourist boat managed to pick up, the one which sparked our mission to search for missing soldiers and sailors.”  
Eros remembered now. He had been punished severely for sneaking into the computer room and managing to send out that signal, but evidently it had been worth it. He had wondered how the guards had managed to block the signal from reaching its destination or from any signal from reaching Eros. After spending time with Devoly, however, Eros knew that blocking incoming and outgoing signals would be easy for him.  
“We don’t know the extent of corruption within the government or if they are in on keeping us from reaching U.S. territory but we need to play it safe anyways.”  
Iman nodded in agreement. “Let’s head for the U.S. embassy, we should be safe there.” To which Devin nodded in agreement.  
“Do you know where it is?” Eros asked Iman who shook her head.  
“I do”, Devin told Eros and reached for the GPS in Iman’s hands.  
They looked at him in surprise but Devin just gave them a pointed look. “You really think I wouldn’t be the commander of a SEAL team without knowing relevant pieces of information?”  
Iman looked to Eros and shrugged.  
After fiddling with the GPS, Devin showed Eros the location of the embassy, near the center of Madagascar. It was very far from the southern coast.  
Eros checked the fuel in the helicopter and shook his head. “We are barely going to reach the southern shore, there’s no way we can make it all the way by helicopter.”  
Iman swore under her breath. “Can’t you signal to them and get them to meet us where we land?” She asked Eros who shook his head immediately.  
“This aircraft lacks communication devices for non-local contact. Local, meaning Devoly’s people.”  
“We will land on the beach and find a way to get to the embassy.” Devin decided.  
Eros and Iman both wanted to argue, they had no idea how they would get to the embassy on foot with injured men who were currently completely naked, but as the shores of Madagascar came closer, they realized they had no choice.  
The beach was getting closer, and the sun had begun to rise, both making it possible to see that the beach was secluded. Devin and Iman helped ready the others while Eros carefully landed the craft before cutting the engine.  
Iman, Devin, and Eros, were working together to get the other’s outside when they saw flashing lights out of the corners of their eyes.  
“Goddamn it!” Iman hissed, “Not the police!”  
Everyone looked grimly at the flashing lights accompanied by the screech of tires.  
“It’s too late to try the helicopter.” Eros called, knowing that Iman was going to ask. “It will take too long to get us up and there isn’t enough fuel to get us anywhere.”  
Iman swore again and looked desperately to Devin, hoping he had an idea.  
He was looking darkly at the police cars which halted- their cars wouldn’t work on the sandy beach- before police men and women left their vehicles and ran towards the landed helicopter on the sand.  
“Eros, you and Iman need to leave.” Devin told Eros seriously who just gaped at him in horror.  
“I’m not leaving you here! I promised I would get everyone out and I have already failed to save others!”  
“Vaea,” Iman left Montoya who she had been supporting to grab Eros’ hand gently while she looked in his eyes seriously. “You promised we would leave if anything went wrong.”  
Eros just shook his head quickly, “But that was before we got out of the island! Maybe the police will help us!”  
How do you think they knew we were here?” Iman asked carefully and Eros seemed to deflate at that.  
“We need to at least try.” Eros pleaded, knowing it would be no use as Iman shook her head urgently.  
Relenting, Eros turned to Devin, Montoya, Lenny, Yaya, and Thabo, “I’m so sorry.” He told them tearfully. “I’ll make sure you all get home.”  
Devin nodded his head as the others murmured encouragement and gestured for the two to get moving, the police were almost on them.  
“Iman, use the GPS and fly to the embassy. Tell the soldiers that Operation Sea Demon needs backup, Low Robin is my code name if they ask you.” Devin told Eros before Iman grabbed Eros by the arm and they took off running.  
“Eros,” Devin called and Eros looked back but was kept running by Iman. “Don’t trust anyone, we don’t know the extent of corruption here but running into anyone tied to Devoly will get you recaptured.”  
Eros tried to call out to Devin again but his breath left him as the police reached the men and began shouting in Malagasy. He wanted to go back for them but Iman had a tight grip on him and directed them towards a thin treeline where they could take off into the air, hopefully unseen.  
The police had noticed the two running away from the others but by the time a few officers made it past the trees, the two were nowhere to be seen. The officers didn’t think to look in the air.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
“We should have stayed with them!” Eros cried to Iman over the sound of air rushing past them as they flew, quickly gaining altitude.  
Iman groaned in frustration. “Vaea, tell me exactly how we would manage to get to the US embassy with five naked and half-starved people?”  
“We are all sailors and soldiers trained in combat!” Eros exclaimed but Iman just shook her head, continuing to fly forward without looking at him. “We are all too weak and even with twenty healthy SEALs, attacking police wouldn’t get us any closer to safety. We need to focus on the two of us.”  
“You keep saying that!” Eros fumed at her.  
“I’m just thinking logically.” Iman scoffed.  
“No, you are being selfish!”  
“And how exactly am I being selfish?” Iman asked, irritated.  
“By trying to rid yourself of everyone around you! All you care about is your own safety.”  
Without warning, Iman twisted around and Eros just about crashed into her. He barely missed her by flying over her shoulder and turned himself to face her.  
“Do you really think I would have stuck with you this long if I was only thinking about my safety?” She demanded.  
“The only reason you are ‘stuck’ with me is because I’ve been the only one coming up with ideas.” Eros growled, “Ideas which you keep rejecting because you don’t care about the others.”  
“Others?” Iman snapped. “Like our fellow brother and sister-in-arms Derik and Anya who I had to watch be tortured to death? Or ‘others’ as in the man you thought loved you after a month of being prison pals?”  
Eros’ face fell but Iman’s irritation hadn’t been quenched yet. “I’d say you were thinking of the latter. A man who was probably too sick to understand reality and you were naive enough to throw yourself at him because he was the first man in five years who didn’t want to gut you or rape you!”  
Iman was breathing heavily when she finished. For several moments, both were silent, Iman glaring at Eros who avoided her eyes and folded his arms to his chest.  
Iman forced herself to calm down when she saw Eros was hurt. Her face shifted as regret replaced her anger and she swore.  
“Shit. Look, we’re both just tired. I’m sorry”  
Eros didn’t speak or even meet her eyes. He turned around and began flying the same direction they had been going. Moments later, Iman followed suit guiltily.  
The two flew silently. Eros was going over Iman’s words in his mind but his focus was interrupted by the sight of the sun rising slowly to the side of them.  
It was the first sunrise Eros had seen away from the island he had been forced to live on for almost six long years, but Eros vowed to himself silently that it wouldn’t be the last sunrise he would see. And eventually, he hoped to enjoy a sunrise while living in complete freedom.  
Eros and Iman continued flying. The only time they spoke to each other was when consulting the GPS to adjust their course. It was now light outside, and despite the lack of a large city beneath them as it had tapered off into smaller more rural areas, they were flying just below the clouds. In the unlikely event that they were to be spotted by anyone, they could fly just a bit higher and be hidden.  
It felt incredible to be flying this high in the air and Eros was curious what Devoly had done to make it possible for him and Iman to be at such a high elevation. He remembered Iman saying something about adding ‘air sacs’ to Eros’ lungs for his surgery and he assumed they had something to do with his ability to breath this high even while his body was working hard.  
After an hour or so of flying, thirst, hunger, and exhaustion overtook the two and they flew for a few minutes until they found a small patch of forest a safe distance from a large town. Landing on the grass, Iman groaned as she stretched her muscles while Eros simply laid on the ground. He had been thirsty when they had first taken off, but after having wind blowing in his face for an hour, his mouth was drier than a sponge that had been left in the desert. His stomach constricted with hunger strong enough that he would have dranken the awful recovery serum gladly.  
“We are going to need to get food and water.” Eros finally spoke, startling Iman.  
“There must be a store in town.” Iman remarked. “We can get food and water there.”  
Eros patted his jumpsuit where pockets would be. “We don’t have any money to pay.”  
Iman shrugged. “We take what we need and don’t pay,” she offered.  
Normally Eros would object to such a thing, as would Iman, but both knew that they wouldn’t be able to move much further without eating. It had been over twelve hours since either of them had eaten and flying required more energy than they had.  
“Fine.” Eros conceded and the two got up and headed towards the town they had seen while flying.  
Luckily, the streets weren’t very busy and no one made mind to the two dirty, barefoot people in tight black jumpsuits which didn’t match the climate. Anyone who did acknowledge them were more interested in seeing a white man and his black female companion who had no hair, rather than the wings which were tucked tightly against them.  
Eros and Iman were fascinated by the first place of civilization they had seen in years. After looking around cautiously, they entered a small store. It was filled with mostly unknown foods, the exception being found in a small corner which had sandwiches, bottled water, and fruits. Both grabbed as many items as casually as they could and turned to walk out. The man who owned the shop called out to them but they walked past him without acknowledgment.  
Seeing the strangers were planning on stealing, the man jumped around the counter to chase after them shouting. Eros and Iman ran out the shop and shot behind the building before taking off into the air again.  
They landed back among the trees from earlier and placed their plunder on the grass, each grabbing a few foods, water, and snacks for later.  
They ate ravenously, too focused on eating and drinking to talk. Once both were pleasantly full, they got up silently and continued flying.  
Eros was hurt by what Iman had said. He knew he shouldn’t have called her out on being selfish, but her words had torn through him razor-sharp. He had spent most of his time just trying to convince himself he was more than a slave and she had taken all of the thoughts he tried to suppress and thrown it in his face.  
After flying for an hour, they took a thirty minute break, using the time to eat and rest their fatigued muscles. Eros and Iman continued the same pattern until the sun had made it halfway across the sky.  
The cloud coverage had become sparse and the heat of the sun burned their skin which was sweating profusely underneath their too-insulated black jumpsuits which felt like human ovens. Both had run out of water and the city they were crossing was too big for it to be safe to continue flying for long. After discussing shortly what they should do, the two decided on resting until the sun went down.  
They landed on the rooftop of an abandoned building and slept in turns until the sun began to set and the air had cooled slightly. The two stole from another store. This one had many more options that resembled food they knew and they relished in its familiarity.  
After eating on the rooftop where they had spent most of their day, they flew into the night, the cool air soothing their burned skin. They were able to fly much longer with the energy they had collected from sleeping during the day as well as not having the heat of the sun boring into them. Fly for two hours. Rest for twenty. Repeat.  
The two continued flying as the sun rose but when it became too warm, they landed. There were no cities or towns in sight, which meant they couldn’t add food to their dwindling supplies, but they took advantage of the lack of others by falling into a deep sleep. They hadn’t meant to both fall asleep but had done so nonetheless for several hours due to the strain they were putting on their bodies. When they were both startled awake by the shrill call of a bird, they began sleeping in shifts while the other kept watch.   
Eros and Iman had been keeping a hard pace while flying and no matter how much sleep they got, their bodies were exhausted, as were their minds. Resting the whole day didn’t help them recover as much as they had hoped. A few hours before the sun set, they ran out of food but luckily had water left which they rationed out.  
They were getting very close to the embassy Iman reckoned while looking at the GPS, but they still had several hours of flying left. The mere idea of flying for an hour made Eros groan, and he was too tired to care as Iman helped him to his feet.  
They flew for six long hours, ten minutes of rest every fifty minutes before they made it to the outskirts of a very large city which was lit up, making it bright despite the night.  
The two would have admired the city and celebrated their success in making it but they were depleted of energy.  
“We need to land.” Iman called to Eros. “We don’t want to risk getting shot at if we fly too close to the embassy.”  
They landed outside of the city and began trudging groggily to the street closest to them. They were sunburned, hungry, thirsty, and physically and mentally drained. It was shocking to be in a city this big, even if there was no one currently around them, but they were too tired to think about it as they wandered down several streets, heading deeper into the city in a surreal state.  
After several minutes of ambling, they had only run into a handful of people, but it was enough to wake them up to focus and act more carefully.   
Iman pointed to a sign which directed them towards the embassy and the two picked up their pace, feeling optimistic. Once they made it to US soil, they would be safe.   
They were so focused on walking as fast as they could manage physically that neither noticed a dark SUV pull up just in front of them on the side of the road until the doors began to open.  
Iman pulled Eros to halt. Figures jumped from the vehicle, wearing padded armor, and helmets but Iman could also make out the glint of the same collars she and Eros had worn.  
“Fuck. They’re with Devoly.” She hissed and grabbed Eros, taking off in the direction they had come from.  
Unfortunately their adrenaline as well as desperation was no match for the agents who gained on them quickly. Iman looked behind her and caught the sight of a tranquilizer gun.  
“Eros, we are going to have to fly in.” She panted.  
“But the embassy soldiers will shoot us!” Eros protested.  
“I’ll take that over being an experiment again.”  
Eros thought for a second before his face hardened and he nodded his agreement. Iman jolted the both of them onto another street just as someone shot a tranquilizer, missing Eros’ body by an inch. As soon as they turned, Eros and Iman jumped into the air and beat their wings as fast as they could.  
To Eros’ and Iman’s dismay, these people were more informed than the police had been and knew to look up. Worse, they switched from non-lethal tranquilizer guns to sniper rifles. Iman warned Eros of the danger and they both tried to fly evasively while still heading towards the embassy. Despite the silencers on the weapons, Eros and Iman could still hear each shot which rang out behind them.  
They caught sight of the embassy and both gave a gasp of relief. Eros turned to Iman to give her a smile just as another shot rang in the air and Iman screamed as the bullet hit her, tearing through the tissue in her stomach and flying out, along with blood.  
Iman dropped immediately and Eros shouted after her. He dove and managed to reach her when she suddenly snapped her wings back out, causing Eros to land on her. They both began to fall but detangled themselves enough to both start flapping their wings, regaining some altitude.  
Iman’s jumpsuit was torn and blood poured through, soaking it visibly. She was pressing her arms to her stomach, flying shakily as her face contorted in pain, mouth pursed grimly. Eros looked back at her every few seconds, yelling encouragement for her to keep going. They had flown over a patch of buildings which blocked them from the sight of those shooting at them.  
Iman was steadily losing altitude and Eros was getting desperate. The embassy was so close, only a hundred meters or so away but he didn’t know if they would make it.  
“Go ahead without me.” Iman sputtered, eyes closed as she struggled to stay flying.  
Eros shook his head, “I’m not leaving you behind.” He growled and Iman managed a slight smile but began falling lower.  
The embassy was only a block away, but at the rate Iman was lowering to the ground, she wouldn’t make it over the tall barbed-wire fence. Eros reached down and grabbed Iman’s hand, squeezing it hard.  
“Come on!” He shouted frantically, “We’re almost there, don’t give up now!”   
Iman shook her head but kept her wings moving. The agents made it around the corner of the street of the embassy, aiming their rifles at the two flying. Eros felt a bit of strength pour through him as he swore he would get Iman over the fence.  
“Give me everything you’ve got, let’s go soldier!” He bellowed as the fence came closer, the top of it just a bit higher than they were currently.  
Iman groaned in effort and began pushing her wings up and down harder but Eros saw it wouldn’t be enough. Holding her hand tightly, he pushed upwards, straining his muscles and pulled her up, flapping his wings rapidly, a shriek of effort, fear, and pain flying past his lips as the fence rushed beneath them, barbed-wire catching onto Iman’s feet. She yelled as it was enough to shred the skin, but not enough to pull her backwards.  
Passing the fence completely without getting shot, Eros cried out in relief and let go of Iman. The two plummeted to the ground as soldiers guarding the grounds noticed them and began shouting, running towards them with rifles.  
Eros was feeling delirious but fought it to get to his feet shakily, turning around in time to catch the sight of the agents outside of the fence looking warily in his direction before taking off and disappearing.  
“Hands above your head!” a soldier shouted, grabbing his attention.  
Eros turned back around and was met with a dozen soldiers pointing rifles at him and the crumpled form of Iman who had seemingly passed out on her stomach.  
He did as he was told, lifting his arms shakily over his head despite his weary muscles. Eros opened his mouth to yell that Iman needed medical attention but a wave of dizziness passed over him before the words could form and he swayed in place.  
“Remove the device from your back!”  
Eros was confused and tried to turn and look to see what the woman was referring to but only saw his wings.  
“What do you-” Eros tried but was interrupted by another soldier.  
“Remove it immediately!” He ordered.  
Eros thought foggily for a few seconds before he realized they were talking about his wings.  
He felt odd and couldn’t stop the grin from covering his face and started to laugh when he saw Devoly’s face among the soldiers crowding around him. The grin was replaced with horror as Eros lowered his hands in order to protect himself.  
Voices began shouting all around him, and Eros saw the faces of the guards Nathan, Richard, and the others standing among the soldiers. Eros began to take steps backwards rapidly to try and escape but this just made the voices shout louder.  
His movements became more desperate and Eros cried out as he tripped and fell backwards, the faces of his worst nightmares leering down at him, until his vision went black.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
When Eros opened his eyes, his unfocused gaze landed on a grimy gray ceiling. His back felt extremely sore and he had apparently made the mistake of falling asleep on his back. Eros moved to sit up and groaned as his entire body protested, especially his wings which began cramping immediately. He tried to extend his wings slightly to try and help them relax but his wings were stopped by an unfamiliar material.  
Eros blinked the sleep away from his eyes and realized that his black bodysuit had been replaced with a dirty jumpsuit which matched the dingy color of the ceiling. It wasn’t particularly tight, but there was not enough space in the back and Eros’ wings were pressed uncomfortably to his skin.  
He tore his eyes away from his body and that’s when he noticed he was in a cell. Fear shot through him and he tried to remember where he was. Flashes of memories returned as he panicked, throwing himself off the cot he had been lying on.   
He remembered he and Iman had left the others and flown away, and that they were being chased by a group of people. Eros pressed himself to the bars of his cell and remembered the sight of the collars on the necks of the soldiers.   
The soldiers who shot Iman!  
Then Eros remembered how he had barely managed to fly both himself and Iman over the fence of the embassy. Relief washed over him as he realized that although he must have been knocked out by the soldiers who had encountered him and Iman and put him in a cell, he was technically on US soil now.  
Disbelief as well as joy filled Eros and he basked in it for several minutes until he realized he didn’t know what state of health Iman was in.  
Eros looked outside his cell and tried to find a guard but the corridor was empty. All that was within his sight was the off-white wall across from his cell and double-doors about five meters down the right side of the hallway.  
Part of Eros wanted to stay quiet and wait patiently for a guard to come to him, but the other part reminded him that he wouldn’t be tortured or abused for simply getting the attention of guards. He needed to let them know who he was so they could get Devin and everyone else out of Madagascar, and he also needed to know Iman was okay.  
Eros took a deep breath and tried to shout out, but his throat constricted and the only sound that came out was a choked whimper of a yell. He cleared his throat awkwardly and tried again, this time managing to let out a decent yell for one of the guards to come.  
Doors to Eros’ left down the corridor opened and Eros stood up, trying to appear both confident and non-hostile.  
All of that disappeared when the angry face of a man appeared, demanding Eros to move to the back of his cell. Eros swallowed and obeyed.  
“Now tell me, what the hell is on your back?”  
Eros breathed a sigh of relief. He had begun to worry that he was in fact back in Devoly’s grasps, but the soldier’s question told him that he was back in the land of people who did not experiment on humans. And the soldier’s rank told Eros that he was new and likely thought himself to be the shit. Eros loved playing with cocky enlisted soldiers.  
“New clothes. I am used to people appreciating my physique but it doesn’t usually resort to undressing me while I sleep.” He told the guard, feigning a wistful look.  
“Not the fucking uniform!” The guard snapped and Eros was ashamed at the spark of fear which shot through him for it. “What is on your back beneath the uniform?”  
“My wings.” Eros told him calmly, feeling as though telling the truth was the best way to fuck with this man.  
The guard’s face twisted into a scowl. “Bullshit.” He growled.  
“I could explain exactly how and why they are there but I am positive you are not cleared for the classification of it,” Eros couldn’t help himself from retorting.  
The guard’s face burned in anger and he jerked to unlock Eros’ cell.  
“I am Lieutenant Eros Vaea, a United States Naval Officer and I need to speak to your commanding officer immediately.” Eros spoke firmly, surprised by his own strength.  
The man twitched in anger and Eros partially expected him to enter the cell and attack Eros but he hesitated, before leaving with an angry grunt.  
Eros breathed in relief as soon as the soldier was out of sight and held his head in his hands. He was trying to keep his thoughts calm but it was challenging. It felt like hours later when it couldn’t have been more than twenty or thirty minutes that a woman appeared, seemingly the commanding officer Eros had asked for.  
Eros passed on the information from Devin as clearly as he could and refused to answer any questions which weren’t needed to get Eros and Iman closer to safety. The woman he spoke to was surprisingly respectful and told Eros that she wouldn’t be able to let him out of his cell but she would pass on the information Eros gave her as soon as she could.  
Once the woman was gone, Eros realized he had forgotten to ask about Iman. He swore to himself quietly and wanted to try asking one the guards that passed by his cell every twenty minutes or so but being back in a cell had taken a toll on him and he felt his confidence depleting.  
Eros expected to get word of being sent home in a day or two but a week passed with nothing, other than a male soldier briefly telling Eros that his companion was recovering. Eros had been relieved to hear it, he couldn’t imagine losing Iman after they hadn’t spoken to each other for a day. Her words still entered Eros’ thoughts and they were hard to block when he found himself sitting in yet another cage, but he was still anxious to see her.  
Within a day or two, eating the prison food proved to be a challenge. Even when he wasn’t hungry, Eros would eat his food too fast because part of him was worried that the guards would suddenly decide to stop feeding him.  
The food he managed to get down didn’t digest well and he often threw it up. Eventually, after hearing the prisoner retching for almost an hour straight, a guard brought in a nurse to check Eros. It was difficult to get any vitals on him because Eros, after getting flashbacks to the doctors in the lab, resisted the idea of getting prodded by anyone.  
Eventually the nurse threatened Eros with restraining him and that got him to force himself to relax just enough for the nurse to get Eros’ heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and feel his lymph nodes. He also asked basic questions about his age, his thoughts and feelings, and his ability to sleep.  
Eros hadn’t been able to sleep well no matter how tired he was. After lying on his cot awake for hours every night, Eros had given up on trying to sleep. He kept feeling like someone was watching him, like the agents who had almost gotten him and Iman had returned.  
Instead of sleeping, Eros sat on the floor in the corner of his cell, watching the hallway tensley for a sign of any threat. He didn’t sit on the cot because he disliked the feeling of being on it, not that it was uncomfortable, it just felt wrong. When he got cold from the overpowered air conditioning, he would take his blanket from the cot and wrap it around himself. It felt like a luxury he did not deserve as he had forgotten what it was like to have any items of comfort.   
Once he had finished, the nurse told the soldier who had requested he check on Eros that the prisoner was not ill, but was simply experiencing stress and anxiety. They spoke about Eros as if he was invisible, something which he had become used to, and decided to simply monitor Eros.  
Although it was completely dismissive of the actual issues which concerned Eros, he stayed silent, not wanting anyone in his cell any longer. With his wings constricted behind him, Eros felt like a cornered animal and hated that if he was attacked, he wouldn’t be able to get away. After asking for a jumpsuit which allowed him to let his wings out, Eros was promptly denied.   
To deal with both his worries about being attacked, and the discomfort from his wings being cramped into confines, Eros would take his wings out at night. It had to be done in secret to not get in trouble, so Eros would cover himself in the blanket, remove the top of his jumpsuit, and let his wings relax for a few minutes. He felt himself missing the training room on the island, because as awful as it was, he could at least get the freedom to fly, and had oddly felt safer there than here.  
His request for a razor in order to shave his head was also denied as it was seen as a potential weapon. After years of being outside on that deck on the island, Eros’ hair had become a sun-bleached almost platinum-blonde, minus his roots which were his natural darker blonde, and reached his mid-back. He had grown used to having long hair but now it just felt invasive and he wished he at least knew how to braid it so it was out of the way.  
Eros managed to take small thirty to forty minute naps during the daytime when he felt safe enough, in part due to the greater number of guards on duty. It was enough rest to ensure he could stay alert during the night, but not enough for his body and he still felt exhausted.  
He was a light sleeper and woke up immediately when the sound of Iman’s voice entered his dream. It sounded like she was reprimanding a soldier for being careless.  
“Were I your prisoner again, it would take less than an hour for me to escape. Make the same mistake for an actual prisoner and I can assure you, you are going to be personally responsible for a prison break.”  
Eros didn’t hear the guard’s response as he tore the blanket from his body and jumped up to his cell door. When Iman entered his sight he called out her name and she spotted him, leaving the two soldiers who didn’t try to stop her. As Iman came closer, Eros reached through the bars of his cell and pulled her in for a hug.  
When they pulled away, the two looked over each other instinctively to make sure the other didn’t have any new injuries.  
“Your stomach?” Eros asked, surprised to see that there was no sign of the injury and Iman didn’t seem to be in any pain.  
“I’m not sure how, but I fully recovered a few days ago.” She told him. “Must have been something Devoly did without me knowing.”  
Eros was amazed. “I’m glad you are healed. I was so worried and no one here would tell me anything.”  
Iman gave the guards besides them pointed looks as if it was their fault and the two looked away, one breaking off from the other to open Eros’ door.  
“What’s going on?” Eros asked Iman.  
She gave him a small smile.  
“We’re going home.”  
Eros couldn’t speak for several seconds as he gaped at her. Finally he smiled and couldn’t help a laugh of relief escaping him. He wanted to bring Iman into another hug but decided Iman was probably hugged out from him. She had always been reserved from physical affection, but made limited exceptions for Eros who appreciated it.  
“Are we going now?” He asked Iman, guided out of his cell by the guard who had unlocked it.  
“Unless you have any other plans in Madagascar, then yes.”  
“How are we getting back?” Eros questioned as they followed the guards through the building.  
“We will be travelling with a squad returning to the US via three days of flight.I have to be told what state. We will travel to a different US military base and stay there tonight and tomorrow night.”  
Eros was both amazed and confused on how Iman knew this.  
“I wasn’t given any information when I asked the guards, how did you learn all of this?” Eros asked her curiously.  
“These army kids stand no chance against an angry Marine.” Iman assured him.  
Eros murmured his agreement to that. Iman looked so much more alive now that they were in a familiar setting and he wished he had her same self-assuredness. Although being near military personnel had helped Eros feel confident enough in the beginning to demand to speak to the commanding officer, it had quickly disappeared after that. His guards rarely spoke to him and Eros did his best to obey, something which Iman had apparently gotten around in her own way.  
Unfortunately he and Iman weren’t given new clothes to wear as the soldiers they would be travelling would have no idea who they were and no one felt like explaining why two people with wings were being flown from Madagascar to the US. They wore their jumpsuits but did not have to wear anything else constricting, like handcuffs, for which Eros was grateful.  
They were transported via a van to a bulky helicopter where a dozen or so soldiers were loading gear. Some gave Eros and Iman looks of suspicion, but most ignored the two and continued their work. They were brought into the helicopter and shown their seats, which they took and waited in silence until the crew entered as well and prepared for takeoff.  
Eros eyed the soldiers suspiciously, they reminded him of the guards from the laboratory, and he didn’t trust them. Even as the soldiers ignored the two unknown people, talking amongst themselves, Eros didn’t take his eyes off them. It felt constricting to be surrounded by a large number of people who could easily pin him down and not even the brief joy from the sensation of taking off distracted Eros from his anxiety.  
He could see Iman was anxious as well, but she was much better at hiding it, pretending to be examining the interior of the helicopter. Eros was grateful to have Iman beside him as she was the only familiar face here, but he also wanted to have space from her. He needed to prove to her that he didn’t just latch himself to anyone who didn’t treat him like a slave or a whore. Unfortunately, he felt like a slave in his constricting jumpsuit, and still had the fears of a whore running through his mind.  
Trying to both get his space and prove he was fine, Eros left Iman to look through each small window, trying to convince himself he was comfortable around the men and women in here who were complete strangers and could have been with Devoly for all he knew.  
He had been tired before they left but after standing for as much of the flight as he could, Eros was physically worn out as well. Additionally, fearing that he would embarrass himself by throwing up in front of everyone, he passed on all the food offered, throwing out a lame excuse of having eaten a large dinner the night before, even as his stomach growled in hunger.  
Iman eventually relaxed enough to get into several arguments about subjects Eros didn’t quite catch. The debates weren’t friendly, but also weren’t bad enough for anyone to intervene, so Eros tuned out the voices and focused on staying alert.  
When they made it to their first destination at an undisclosed time, the sun had already set, leaving behind a completely dark sky. Unfortunately, between the bright lights of the city and being quickly ushered indoors, Eros wasn’t able to catch the sight of any stars.   
Seeing as nobody wanted Eros or Iman wondering around, they were both put into cells again and assured it was just a precaution. Something which Eros could hear Iman swearing about even as she and a soldier left Eros in his own cell.  
It was nearly identical to the one he had been in just this morning, but the walls had been painted more recently, replacing the grimy gray with a slightly off white. The biggest change was that this cell wasn’t barred and Eros would have assumed it was just a spare personnel room if he hadn’t found out early on that the door was locked from the outside.  
Although the bars had reminded Eros of being trapped in a cage, he would have gladly performed nearly any sexual act to have them back so he could see outside his room. He felt extremely on edge and nearly jumped out of his skin when someone brought him food.  
Eros left the food untouched and curled into the corner of the room, eyes glued to the door, fighting back exhaustion which threatened to lull him into sleep.  
He successfully stayed awake until someone came to retrieve him again and the day was nearly identical to yesterday. The only difference was that when they landed, Eros, due to both exhaustion and desperation, asked to get permission to have a place to fly around for a few minutes or at least be outside.  
But his request was immediately shut down, so Eros spent yet another night locked in a windowless room with a cot he couldn’t bear to sleep on, while on look-out to make sure that the guards didn’t try to touch or attack him. Or that Devoly’s agents who had shot Iman didn’t come back for them.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
After three days of uncomfortable flight, they finally made it. To where exactly, Eros and Iman were not given the privilege of knowing. Their sight told them that they were on another military base, however, what US state or branch of the military was unknown.   
While the crew split into various tasks, Eros and Iman were taken into a building and led through corridors which had rooms on either side. Eros walked close to Iman, trying to find comfort in her undeterred manner.  
“We’re going in here.” A guard told Eros gruffly, grabbing him by his arm and pushing him not-too-gently to one of the doors.  
“There’s no need to split us up.” Iman protested, not budging from the grip of the two guards who were trying to grab her into another room.  
Eros was fearful of what the guards would do once he no longer had Iman with him, but he also didn’t dare to fight back like Iman, who was glaring at the man holding Eros.  
“We can’t question you in the same room. Now move it.” The man growled and Eros lost sight of Iman who sent out a stream of curses as Eros was pushed fully into the room.  
It was a square room, just a bit larger than Eros’ cell had been in Madagascar. It was well-lit and none of the light gray floor, walls, or ceiling was in shadows. Centered in the room was a simple black table with two chairs set opposite each other.  
Eros was given a gesture to take the seat closest to the door. The guard Iman had sworn at sat across from Eros, while the other guard stood by the door. Having the other guard completely out of his vision made Eros wary and he glanced at the man before hesitantly meeting the gaze of the guard in front of him.  
“Call me Morris.” He told Eros before pulling a recorder from his pocket. “Now I am going to ask you just a few questions and then you and Uzebeko will be leaving.”  
Eros had many questions himself but he forced himself to comply, giving a small nod.  
“Summarize your experiences in the United State’s Navy up until your disappearance.”  
Eros was surprised. He had expected the questions to get right into his experiences on the island where he had been held, but it seemed that would come later.  
He gave a brief overview in a minute or so, skimming over the details until Morris pointed out that he needed Eros to be much more specific. Eros took a deep breath, trying to stay patient. He retold his experiences, this time adding details which seemed superfluous to Eros, but Morris didn’t even bat an eye.  
Once Eros was finished, Morris asked a few more follow-up questions. “Who was directly above and below in the chain of command during your third year?” “How did your superiors respond to that incident?” “Why did you request to change units in your second year?”  
By this point, Eros’ jaw was clenched, and he couldn’t stop his annoyance from entering his voice.  
After being asked to list all official missions completed with Iman Uzebeko before disappearing, Eros’ patience had broken.  
“When will you start asking questions that are relevant?” Eros snapped.  
Morris stared at him, unimpressed, before removing a pair of handcuffs from his belt. “If you will no longer cooperate, I’ll be forced to use these.” He dangled them in front of Eros’ face who just scowled.  
“How the fuck would handcuffing me help?” Eros scoffed.  
“Let’s try again, and this time, you’re going to answer MY questions.”  
Eros growled in frustration but didn’t say anything else. Morris watched him for a few seconds before placing the cuffs on the table as a warning.  
“What happened when you arrived at your latest mission?”  
“Finally.” Eros muttered before answering. “The marines on the mission left and a man on the island snuck up and knocked me out.”  
“Why was your guard down?” Morris asked and Eros looked at him in confusion.  
“We had been given no reports on the island being inhabited. It was a training mission and I was simply piloting.” Eros explained.  
“Weren’t you trained in keeping alert on a mission at all times?” Morris asked and Eros glared at him.  
“Do I need to repeat my damn self? There was no evidence of the island being inhabited”  
Morris’ eyes narrowed briefly before his face returned to being infuriatingly impassive.  
“Why don’t we skip a few questions ahead and come back to that one later?” He offered. Before waiting for a response from Eros he continued.   
“How many people raped you over the course of the five years?”  
Eros blanched, eyes widening before pushing himself to his feet shakily. “Why would you ask that?” He demanded, his voice sounding weaker than he wanted.  
“Everything must be documented.” Morris answered calmly.  
Eros stared at him incredulously. “How did you know I was… How did you know that happened in the first place?”  
“Medical examination.”  
“But when?” Eros hadn’t been examined more than the time the nurse looked at him, and he certaintly hadn’t checked anything which could have indicated sexual assault.  
“When you snuck into the US embassy in Madagascar.” Morris didn’t give any more detail.  
“We didn’t ‘sneak’ in. I was screaming and Iman was bleeding from a gunshot wound given to her by a hoard of soldiers chasing us.” Eros retorted. He felt violated by the news that his body had been seen by strangers once again without consent. Some things didn’t seem to change, even when surrounded by people who were seen as good.  
“How many?” Morris repeated, apathetically.  
Eros glared and began pacing. “Like ten. Maybe more.” He muttered.  
“There’s a big difference between ten and twenty rapists, so how many more is ‘maybe more’?”  
Eros whirled on him. “No one’s fucking business! How would that information be helpful for anything?” He shouted, breathing heavily in the silence that followed.  
Eros flinched as the guard who had been standing by the door grabbed him by his arms and pushed him into his chair. Morris said nothing either, but handed the other guard the handcuffs which were deftly placed on Eros, anchoring his hands to the table.  
“Great. Let’s continue.”  
The questioning went on for several long and painful hours. The questions were harsh and Eros was given no sympathy as he began to slowly break down. After being forced to provide details of rape, torture, and other experiences which he had undergone, Eros felt deflated and fragile.   
He was always trying to forget everything he had undergone, but now when he thought he had finally made it to a place where he would be safe, his vulnerabilities were ripped out from him and put on display heartlessly.  
He tried asking about Devin and the others a few times as he hadn’t heard anything about them yet but was promptly shut down and reminded tartly that he wasn’t to be asking the questions.  
The snapping, hissing, and retorting decreased as Eros’ primary method of responding to lurid questions, making way for muttering, whispering, and sometimes, to Eros’ embarrassment, sniffling. He was still tired and hungry, but now he was progressively becoming physically and mentally unstable. He repeatedly snapped his gaze to keep an eye on the guard behind him and did his best to ignore the handcuffs on his wrists which felt too tight and unnecessarily harsh.  
Actually, everything felt unnecessarily harsh. Eros couldn’t tell if he was just seeing cruelty because he was a battered whore, or if it was really there.  
When Eros felt close to having a complete meltdown, Morris gave him a nearly invisible smirk. “Looks like we’re done here. Stanton here will take you out.”  
Eros let out a sigh of relief as the other guard, Stanton, came to Eros’ side and removed his handcuffs. Giving Morris a final dirty look which was met with a lazy wave, Eros was guided out of the room. He shuffled along the floor, lost in thought until they entered another room which was bigger than the interrogation room.  
There were about half a dozen people inside, quietly discussing something, but Stanton took Eros to a seat in the corner where Iman was glaring and anyone who looked at her.  
Eros slumped into the seat before looking at Iman. “How did your torture- I mean interrogation- go?” He asked bitterly.  
“I’ve added four new candidates to the list of people I would drop from the top of a sky-scraper.”  
“Four?”  
“The two guards needed backup.”  
“So it went pretty well.”  
“Fucking peachy.”  
“You get handcuffed too?”  
“Double-handcuffed... Within one minute.”  
Eros couldn’t help but smirk and Iman gave him a tired smile in response.  
The people who had been talking in the room didn’t appear to be military, and spoke in hushed voices for several more minutes before Eros and Iman were acknowledged.  
One woman broke off from the group and directed them to a van outside. Eros and Iman sat in their own compartment separate from the driver where the windows were covered, removing the possibility of finding out where they were. The two sat silently during the twenty minute drive, unsure of what was next.  
When they exited the van, Eros and Iman were taken into another building, one that the two were familiar with. It was a hospital.  
They both hesitated, exchanging looks of apprehension, before continuing on the alert. Eros had begun to wonder whether they had made it into the US at all or if they had actually been captured again and taken to another laboratory.  
After a few turns, they entered a patient room and although it was nothing like Eros’ cell had been in Devoly’s lab, it still made his skin crawl.  
“I’m Dr. Beneke.” A woman introduced herself to Eros and Iman. “Mr. Fawn and Ms. Reinfield will be your nurses, caring for the two of you on a daily basis whereas I will meet only as-needed.”  
Eros nodded to the nurses who both gave him a smile, but was distracted by his distaste for the room which was growing by the second. He couldn’t imagine staying in here for more than a day or so and knew that sleep would be impossible.  
“Do we have to stay in this room?” He asked hesitantly.  
Dr. Beneke gave him a look of surprise. “Of course. We’re allowing you two to share a room as we think it will assist in your recovery.”  
“How kind.” Iman muttered sarcastically.  
Beneke frowned but said nothing, leaving the room for the nurses to give each patient a checkup.  
Fawn checked over Eros while Reinfield worked with Iman. Fawn was a few inches taller than Eros, he was lean, almost skinny, and had short black hair. Reinfield was a tall pale woman who wore her long red hair in a braid down her back.  
They were both kind and tried to avoid making either patient uncomfortable but told them they needed to change into hospital gowns for further examinations. Eros was grateful to finally be able to take off the damned jumpsuit and let his wings out for a few minutes before putting on the gown. Iman helped Eros adjust his fabric so that his wings could be outside of the gown and he offered to do the same but Iman shook her head.  
When the nurses came back in, Eros expected them to make a scene over his wings which could be seen easily despite how they were pressed to his back, but they didn’t react. Fawn asked to see different parts of Eros’ body and Eros begrudgingly obliged, uncovering himself and sitting anxiously while Fawn scribbled down his notes.  
Eros felt like a spring coiling up tension and he sat with his fingers and jaw clenched as Fawn looked over his body.  
There is nothing sexual about this. Eros repeated in his head, trying to push down the panic growing inside him. Fawn’s gaze was neutral and any touch was brief and purely clinical, but Eros couldn’t help see the face of every man who had raped him in the face of his nurse.  
Eventually Fawn gave him an apologetic look. “Now I know this might be uncomfortable for you but I need to look at your genitals.”  
Eros’ eyes widened and he pushed the nurse away, springing off the table. The startled nurse turned to him but took a few steps back to give Eros more space. Hearing the commotion, Iman appeared, shoving the curtains aside and moving to Eros, giving Fawn a dirty look.  
“The fuck you try to do?” She asked venomously and Fawn tried to give her a calm look.  
“I am very sorry Mr. Vaea.” He murmured to Eros. “If you aren’t comfortable with me then just let me know and we can find someone else to work with you.”  
“Yes. Please do.” Iman snapped but Eros shook his head.  
“No, it’s not him. I just- I don’t know if I can… It’s this place. This room.” He said slowly, not meeting anyone’s eyes.  
Fawn nodded his head gently. “That is completely understandable. I will look into finding a more suitable room for you two if that would make you more comfortable.”  
Eros lifted his gaze, embarrassed but grateful. “Thank you.”  
Fawn nodded and turned to Reinfield. “Let’s give them some space and come back with food, shall we?”  
Once the nurses were gone, Eros sighed in relief and collapsed into Iman’s ready arms. He knew she didn’t care for physical affection but he was glad she made an exception for him. Her now-familiar embrace was the only touch which didn’t send sparks of fear shooting through him.  
Eros had dreamt about returning to civilization for years but after becoming so familiar with depravity, he felt he had lost his newly-regained bravery and strength in the face of humanity. He felt fragile and disgusted in himself. He had thought that once they had made it back to the US, he would return to normal, but now he realized he was never going to be normal again.  
Eros picked through the food the nurses brought before deciding to try and get some sleep. He removed the blankets from his bed and slept on the floor where he had a good view of the door and the single window in their room. Exhaustion from the extremely challenging day was stronger than his anxiety and Eros fell asleep rather fast.  
Unfortunately he dreamt of Daniel and woke up crying. He covered his face and silenced his sobs with the blanket pressed to his mouth. He didn’t want Iman to hear him and ask why he was crying. He didn’t want to talk to her about Daniel again.  
A week passed of being coaxed into sleeping on his bed, which Eros refused, and learning what foods he could stomach. The sight and smell of meat was too much for Eros who couldn’t stop imagining the food was human flesh. Any time meat was in his or Iman’s meal, he would spend hours in the bathroom connected to their room, retching until his throat felt bloody.   
He couldn’t eat raw fruits or vegetables because they were too hard, so the nurses brought steamed vegetables and fruit cups. Eros ate irregularly and rarely managed to finish a meal, even though they were hardly meals large enough for a child.  
The food was always brought to them. Although Fawn and Reinfield left the door to Eros and Iman’s room unlocked, neither tried to leave. They had been told that if they let their room, they would need to cover up their wings completely. There was no way Eros was ready for interacting with others. Although she would have covered her wings for the chance to not be confined to such a small space, the need to watch over Eros was enough of a deterrent to do so for Iman.  
Iman was doing much better than Eros. She slept in her bed for several hours each night and ate the majority of her food. She didn’t eat meat in her meals which she told Eros was because she didn’t like the texture but he could tell it was because she didn’t want to make him sick. Iman was brutally honest with the nurses, and always stood in front of Eros whenever either entered their room, as if to protect Eros from them.  
One day when Fawn entered and Iman moved to block Eros from his sight as usual, Fawn was wearing a large smile. “Are you ready to go to your new room?”  
He led them through corridors which were mostly empty as it was almost night and brought them to another door. He opened it and Eros looked inside.  
It was a bit smaller than their old room but it looked nothing like a hospital room. The walls were a light blue and the tiled floor was mostly covered in soft pastel-colored carpets. The hospital beds had been replaced with two regular singles covered in beige bedding instead of the normal white. There were two walls with windows instead of just one and they gave a beautiful view of a beach and trees. There was a small wooden bookshelf with a dozen or so books and two plush chairs in front of a tv which was built into the wall.  
The room looked like it was designed for a child with its soft colors and decorations but Eros loved it. He glanced at Iman who looked less-than-thrilled about the new arrangements but said nothing as she could tell it meant alot to Eros.  
“Thank you.” He breathed at Fawn who couldn’t help but smile proudly.  
“I hope you feel more comfortable here.” He told Eros who nodded.  
“This is much better.”  
“Better enough to sleep in your bed?”  
Eros looked at Fawn and saw that he was looking very hopeful. “Maybe.”  
“Let me know if you want me to make any more changes and I will.” Fawn told Eros with a smile, which seemed to be his continual state.  
Eros gave him a look of surprise. “Wait, did you do this?” He asked Fawn, gesturing to the arrangements around them.  
“I did! I’ve never done something like this before so I hope you like it.”  
“Of course you designed this. These pastel colors and your smile are one in the same; they both make me want to vomit.” Iman scoffed, but Eros elbowed her.  
“It looks much better than a hospital room.” He promised Fawn while Iman gave him a doubtful look.  
Fawn smiled and left them on their own. Eros explored the room which had more small details he couldn’t help but smile at, finding it sweet that Fawn had gone through all this trouble in hopes of making it easier for Eros to sleep.  
There were small potted plants scattered throughout the room which added splashes of green and smelled better than the general ‘hospital’ smell. There were small paintings and photographs of nature scenes on the walls and Eros noticed that Fawn had even changed the lights in the room. Rather than a cold sterile beam, the lights filled the room with a warm and cozy glow.  
As much as he loved the new room however, Eros didn’t even try to sleep on the bed.  
Weeks passed after that. Eros and Iman spent every day doing the same activities over again. They still had their food for each meal brought to them as neither felt like going to a cafeteria filled with people, they slept, read, and Iman would sometimes put a movie on the television.  
Fawn and Reinfield began taking them to a physical therapy room during hours of the day where it was usually empty and let Eros and Iman exercise on their own. It felt great to be able to move his body again but what Eros really wanted was an opportunity to fly. He hadn’t been able to use his wings since he and Iman had landed in the embassy in Madagascar and he missed it.   
Along with asking about Devin and the other SEALs, he asked several times a week to go outside and fly but was never allowed to, which frustrated him.  
Being unable to fly didn’t help Eros with his anxiety and he found himself unable to sleep more and more as he kept watch, worried that he and Iman would somehow be recaptured because they would lose their ability to fly from their wings being unused.  
There wasn’t quite tension between Eros and Iman but they rarely spoke to one another. Eros began thinking of Iman’s words about his feelings towards Daniel more and Iman was feeling trapped and antsy. They kept to themselves and wondered when they would be deemed safe to leave the hospital, something which no one seemed to have the answer to.  
After locking himself in the bathroom during several panic attacks, Eros was sent to therapy, and Iman came with, but Eros refused to talk to the doctor because she reminded him of AJ.  
Neither were told why they had to stay in the hospital but Eros suspected it had to do with his attempts of sneaking outside and Iman’s continually trying to pick fights with medical personnel who annoyed her.  
The two were sitting in their room, Iman half watching a muted show on tv, absent-mindedly fluttering her wings while Eros was curled up on one of the sofa chairs, trying to focus on reading a book. Fawn burst through the door and Eros jumped to his feet startled while Iman tucked her wings in tight and glared at Fawn.  
Fawn was too excited to take offense. “Sorry to startle you like that! I just wanted to let you know that the group of SEALs you asked about were just brought in!”


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
To his dismay, Eros wasn’t allowed to speak to Devin right away. When Fawn had told him the SEALs had ‘just come in’, he meant it literally, and Eros was forced to wait. He was currently pacing outside the door Fawn had shown him, both thrilled and anxious.  
Iman hadn’t come with them, both because it was the prime time to exercise at the gym without anyone to bother her, and also because she didn’t care to be around others.  
Fawn was watching Eros with silent concern and although he wanted to tell Eros to return to his own room, he knew it would be no use. In the short time he had been placed to care for him, Fawn had learned that Eros was uncompromisingly loyal. It was one of the few characteristics of his that hadn’t been undermined by his captivity.  
Eros’ bare feet were practically silent as he marched back and forth in front of the closed door. They had been waiting for over an hour now and the only time Eros paused his moving was to press his ear to the door and listen. With a quiet grunt of impatience, Eros finally swung around and spoke to Fawn who had long ago chosen to sit in one of the chairs lining the hallway.  
“What could take this long?” He asked in exasperation.  
Fawn opened his mouth to try and calm down Eros but as if on cue, the door opened at that moment and Eros turned back around.  
A doctor and a nurse which Eros didn’t recognize exited, both giving Eros friendly nods but he ignored them and rushed to enter the hospital room. Fawn stopped the doctor and nurse from trying to stop Eros by quickly explaining the situation.  
Eros moved to the bed which had curtains drawn around it and took a deep breath before grabbing the end of a curtain and drawing it to the side, revealing Devin.  
His eyes were closed, presumably sleeping, and he was connected to a couple of monitors through wires, but overall, he looked about the same as he had when Eros had left him and the others at the beach. The skin on the right side of his face was still covered in scar tissue from burns, and his lips were deformed, but he didn’t seem to have any new injuries.  
Eros had almost expected to find him with dozens of new cuts, bruises, and broken bones, considering what he had been told about corruption in the Malagasy government, but was relieved to see that if anything, Devin looked better.  
He appeared to have gained some weight back, and had gotten his hair buzzed back down as well as his body cleaned off, making it possible for Eros to see where countless injuries had healed, leaving nothing but scars.  
“Looks like you kept your promise.”  
Eros jerked his gaze up and met the half-awake eyes of Devin.  
Eros would have hugged him but Devin wasn’t nearly as close to Eros as Iman was, and he didn’t want to risk aggravating any injuries he couldn't see. Instead, he gave Devin a wide smile and patted him gently on the shoulder.  
“No one was telling me anything about your status, I was worried.” Eros managed and Devin crooked his head slightly.  
“I told you we could handle some corrupt police.” He shrugged.  
“How were you able to get out despite the corruption?” Eros questioned.  
“Turns out the police we ran into had nothing to do with Devoly’s organization, so the main challenges we faced was just slow processing.” He explained. “The police didn’t believe us, with everything we were trying to tell them, it was no surprise. At first, they refused to make contact with the US, but eventually their superiors got involved and demanded why no one had passed on word of a bunch of naked American soldiers showing up on the beach in an unlicensed helicopter.”  
“And after that, it was just waiting to be taken back here.” Devin finished.  
Eros nodded, “And all five of you made it?” He asked.  
“Yes. Thabo, Lenny, Yaya, and Montoya are all here as well.”  
Eros felt a weight leave him. It was as if his body had been unconsciously holding tension and to have it suddenly fade away created a sensation of lightness. He relaxed and was able to let go of the fears which had been plaguing him since leaving the SEALs behind. Fears that they had been captured again and tormented or experimented on. Fears that they had died.  
Like the eleven others who hadn’t made it.  
Like Daniel.  
Eros’ momentary feeling of relief dulled under the return of disappointment and his smile faded. He moved away from Devin’s side and slid down in one of the two chairs which was available for visitors. He wished he could go back and tell himself to not be cowardly, to have been brave enough to get the SEALs out before anyone died. His fear and weakness had stopped him from being able to save others and he would never forgive himself for it.  
He was so lost in his thoughts and feelings of failure that he missed Devin’s gaze which studied him for several minutes before interrupting Eros’ dark thoughts.  
“Vaea, the burden of their deaths is not yours to bear.”  
Eros was torn from his thoughts and he looked towards Devin but couldn’t meet his eyes.  
“Their deaths are on those accursed guards.”  
“I could have stopped it. I should have saved them.” Eros protested numbly.  
“Maybe. But look here Vaea… Look at me.” Devin ordered and Eros met his gaze briefly.  
“Remember: failure does not belong to an individual when they are in a team. In training and on the field, if something goes poorly, if it doesn’t go according to plan, it’s on everyone involved. We train and plan ahead in order to be prepared for any situation. But this time, we were forced to face something which no training could have prepared us for.” He paused before continuing.  
“You are a part of our team, and even if no one person can take all the blame for the death’s of our fallen SEALs, you are the one who gets the credit for saving us. I only got a brief introduction into what you experienced for five years alone and I know that few could survive it. You not only survived it, but regained enough strength after breaking to fight back. I think I can speak for the five of us in saying that we hold nothing but respect and gratitude for you and your bravery.”  
Eros could help the tears sliding down his face as he looked into Devin’s eyes.  
“The only time you should look back on something you wish you could change is to plan for the future. Don’t forget what you’ve endured, but always remember that you are strong enough to have not only survived, but saved others. If you are looking back at the men who died, forgive yourself and promise to learn from your experiences without becoming consumed by them.”  
Eros broke into full sobs, but he and Devin both knew he was crying tears of relief, not just grief.  
When he had cried enough to be covered in the salty remains of his tears and snot threatened to fall from his nose, Eros had finished. “Thank you.” He sniffled at Devin.  
“Of course, Vaea.” He replied quietly, his face still stoic. It had taken a lot to say all of that as his lips still had trouble forming every word but he firmly believed in everything he told Eros.  
Eros stayed with Devin and told him about his and Iman’s own experience with getting back to the US. When he realized Devin had fallen asleep, Eros left the room and returned to his and Iman’s room, with Reinfield following, as she had replaced Fawn.  
When Eros entered the room, Iman was there and she glanced at him before doing a double-take, observing almost immediately that he had been crying. Her blank face turned to concern, which she only ever held for Eros, and crossed the room to inspect him.  
“What happened?” She demanded as Eros closed the door behind himself.  
“Nothing bad, I’m okay. I was just talking to Devin.” He told her quickly.  
Iman looked at him before taking a step back, giving Eros some space. “I’m sorry.” She told him, avoiding his eyes.  
Eros didn’t know what she was referring to. “What do you mean?” He asked, narrowing his brows in confusion.  
Iman shifted mildly uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for what I said about that prisoner. Torrez was his name, right?”  
Eros’ confusion was replaced partially with shock, both over the fact that Iman thought he was crying over Daniel right now, and also that she had apologized, something she had never been keen on.  
“Iman, that’s not what this is about!” He exclaimed, and Iman shook her head.  
“Well, either way, I’m not doing this again so I might as well get it out now. My words were harsh and purely an overreaction and I am sorry. I never met Torrez and I would probably understand your feelings towards him better if I had.” Her rushed words and tinted cheeks as well as not meeting Eros’ eyes indicated her embarrassment and Eros was grateful for her apology but brushed it off.  
“I was just stupidly looking for affection in the worst place possible.” Eros admitted, and just like that, self-assured and protective Iman was back, looking at Eros with anger, not actually directed at him.   
“Eros, that’s not stupidity.” She snapped at him, annoyed by him trying to put himself down. “You were just looking for someone to actually see you and enjoy you for your thoughts and feelings instead of just your body. You didn’t have that for years like you deserved, so of course your perception of a relationship was fucked up!”  
It was a similar line of thought to what Iman had originally told Eros, but this time their purpose was to console Eros rather than hurt him and he accepted them.  
He gave her a half smile, “Thank you for your apology.”  
“What?- No!- I wasn’t-” She sputtered, Eros had never seen her off her game like this before and he realized that he hadn’t been the only one affected by how they had become more distant after their fight. Iman would never admit it, but Eros guessed she actually needed Eros more than she let on.  
“It’s okay, I understand.” Eros interrupted her and she glared at him for a few seconds before forcing herself to relax.  
“Look. You’ve known me long enough to tell that I’m not the greatest with… emotions.” She told Eros slowly, looking up while standing at attention to come up with her words. “And all that stuff… Honestly- and don’t ask me to repeat this, ever- that place, and Devoly, fucked me up. I know I can be harsh and unaccommodating, but you are the one person who matters to me now and I don’t want to ever cause you more pain. Unless you are actually being an asshole.” She added.  
Eros couldn’t help laugh at that and reached his arms out tentatively, wondering if Iman would reject it, but she seemed relieved. Of course, she didn’t move to hug Eros, but she moved her arms out and he came to her. Although she made the exception of personal space for Eros often, this time, the hug was for her as well.  
After two very emotional and relieving encounters with the people he was closest with, Eros felt hopeful for the future. The tension between him and Iman was fixed and recovery began to move forward more smoothly after that.  
After a few weeks, Devin and the other SEALs were discharged, with out-patient care and Iman would have joined them, but she felt she needed to stay by Eros longer.  
Eros was getting better at talking to people, not just the SEALs who he had spent a lot of time with before they left, but also the medical caregivers and sometimes even other patients. He spoke only briefly to those he didn’t know, but challenged himself to greet strangers and meet everyone’s eyes when he was spoken to.  
He no longer felt the urge to crawl and slowly became less fearful that he would be taken back to Devoly. He still couldn’t bring himself to sleep on his bed and had trouble sleeping despite the encouragement from Fawn  
During one of Eros’ bad nights, when Iman was sleeping in another room in order to get Eros used to sleeping without her, Fawn had to come in to try and calm Eros down.  
After forty long minutes of trying various tactics such as breathing exercises, visualization, and even offering to bring in a therapy dog, Eros was still pacing the room like a trapped animal. He had slept poorly the last few nights in a row without the comfort of knowing Iman was nearby and he wanted to have her back in his room.  
“Why did you move Iman before I could even sleep normally?” He snapped at Fawn after he told Eros for the tenth time to stop moving so much.  
“Because she is going to need to move forward soon and we want to make sure you are ready for it.” Fawn explained, trying to be patient, but he was tired as well after having extra-long shifts the last few days in a row.  
“I’ll never get to sleep.” Eros complained.  
Fawn nodded his agreement. “You sure won’t with all your pacing. Unless you plan on walking until your body shuts down.”  
Eros glared at him. “Just let me see her really quick.”  
“That’s not going to happen.” Fawn shook his head and pushed back a yawn.  
Eros groaned in frustration and continued pacing for several more minutes until Fawn decided to try something new.  
“You know,” He began slowly, thinking over his idea. “I might not be able to get you to see Uzebeko, but I think I could take you outside for a few minutes if you promise to try sleeping in your bed from now on.”  
Eros froze at that and turned to Fawn excitedly. “Yes! I promise!”  
Fawn gave him a tired smile and led him outside his room, Eros followed, observing Fawn’s movements carefully so he could sneak out on his own in the future.  
“Why is sneaking me outside a more ethical option instead of letting me see my friend?” Eros asked Fawn dryly once they were in an elevator moving down.  
“It probably isn’t,” Fawn admitted, “but I needed fresh air and you need sleep so I thought we could kill two birds with one stone.”  
Fawn appeared to regret his choice of analogy but Eros laughed before he could apologize. “You’re not planning on killing this bird with a stone, are you?”  
“Only if this bird keeps me from falling asleep.” Fawn smiled and gave Eros a wink before leading him to doors which were not currently being watched by anyone.  
Before they exited the building Fawn turned to Eros seriously. “Promise to stay with me?” He asked.  
“No flying by this bird, I promise.” Eros told him and Fawn smiled before taking Eros’ hand.  
Eros looked at him in confusion. “What’s this for?” He asked, gesturing to their hands.  
“I just have to be sure, okay?” Fawn tried to chide but Eros grinned.  
“Of course. I’m sure you hold hands with all of your patients.” He teased playfully.  
Fawn looked away with a smile and opened the door for Eros to walk through in front of him.  
Eros took a deep breath in and took in the night around him. The only light came from the hospital, the stars, and the city lights behind them. It was enough for Eros to make out the beach and ocean which were relatively close to the hospital, no other buildings between them.   
Eros and Fawn were on a patio connected to the hospital. The deck was wooden and several picnic tables, chairs, and umbrellas were scattered across it along with tropical flowers and other plants.  
Eros had forgotten how much he missed being outside. It was where he felt most comfortable and he felt he could also breathe better out here. He was too happy to be outside to even worry about Fawn’s grip on his hand. Eros squeezed Fawn’s hand and murmured a quiet thank you and was silent the rest of the time Fawn allowed him to walk around outside.  
Fawn’s tiredness had melted away as he watched Eros look around in amazement and he let him stay outside longer than he had originally intended. When he finally told Eros it was time to go inside, Eros didn’t object and got into his bed as promised.  
And he slept peacefully for several continuous hours with no nightmares.


	7. Chapter Six

Iman was finally discharged after being at the hospital for almost four months. Eros had wished for her to stay but knew that she was ready to move forward to a normal life. She visited Eros almost every day and he listened with what felt almost life pride as she told him about how she had gotten a part-time job to fill her time.  
She and Eros would not be allowed to return to their military careers ever again. This came as no surprise to either of them but whereas Eros only felt mild disappointment, Iman had been furious. She had put almost fifteen years into the Marine Corps and the idea that she would never be able to return had made her even more short-tempered.   
Iman told Eros about the researchers who had asked for permission to study her. They had been quite enthusiastic for about five minutes until they discovered how unfriendly and distrustful Iman was and left.  
While Iman adjusted to civilian life, Eros continued to work on his own recovery. It was slow-going and anything but steady, but he was still making progress overall. After that night with Fawn, Eros had been able to sleep on his bed most nights, even if he could no longer sleep for more than four hours at a time without getting nightmares.  
Eros had also begun working out while other patients were present. It was never during the busiest hours, but there would still be quite a few others present. He tried to speak to everyone, even if it was just a greeting, and had become more comfortable being around others.  
His thin body leaned out enough to hide Eros’ starved appearance but he didn’t dare try to regain too much muscle in case the extra weight would disable him from flying again.  
Along with going to the gym, he had started eating in the cafeteria. He went towards the end or a little after each meal because the cafeteria was usually quite crowded and loud. Fawn joined him for Eros’ meals whenever he was working, and Fawn had even begun to spend time with Eros outside of his work hours.  
Reinfield had moved on to taking care of other patients now that Iman was gone, but Fawn was still with Eros. He brought in several things for Eros to try such as new movies, sweets and foods from nearby restaurants, and even some clothing for Eros to wear instead of his hospital gown.  
Eros found it hard to watch anything on the TV as he flinched at every sound and found himself anxious about being distracted, so the TV soon went untouched. The sweets were too much for Eros’ tastebuds but he enjoyed the food Fawn brought. They were rather hit or miss, but Eros found a couple of dishes with meat which he could eat and enjoy.  
Eros had been relieved to get clothes to change into at first but had soon discovered that normal clothing wasn’t comfortable at all. He had first gotten used to being naked, then wearing a bodysuit which allowed his wings out, and had finally become used to the hospital gown. After trying out several items of clothing and returning the many that didn’t work for Eros, he finally decided on a pair of loose silk shorts which looked suspiciously like women’s shorts, but he didn’t mind as they were comfortable.   
It was harder to find a shirt that worked for Eros because he needed something which would cover his wings from the other patients, but he also refused to wear anything that would constrict his wings enough to stop him from being able to fly on a short notice. After much arguing with Fawn, Eros picked out a simple baggy t-shirt which he cut from neck to mid-back to allow his wings to stay outside. In order to meet the requirement that his wings stay hidden, Eros would put a sweatshirt over his shirt whenever he wasn’t in his room.  
Soon after, Fawn brought in an electric razor and shaved Eros’ head. After years with a military-style buzz cut, Eros had expected to feel refreshed with it but it felt strange to no longer have his long hair. He tried to avoid looking in the mirror when he could as he looked nothing like he once did, but examined his new haircut thoroughly to try and convince himself he looked the same. He enjoyed the lightness of his head and how his hair no longer blocked his vision. He also enjoyed how Fawn would rub his fingers in his short hair right after shaving it.  
Eros was relaxing in his room after eating when a stranger walked inside. Eros sprung from the chair and faced her, bristling with hostility. The woman wasn’t wearing scrubs like a doctor and her dark hair was in a bun. She closed the door behind herself which alarmed Eros even more. His heart was pounding and he prepared himself to either fight or make a run for it. When the woman turned around, she didn’t attack Eros or try to get any closer, she smiled.  
“Hello Mr. Vaea, I’m Dr. Brookes.”  
Her being a doctor didn’t make Eros relax at all and he didn’t reply. The woman’s smile faltered before she continued speaking.  
“I represent a group of scientists who would be very interested in your cooperation with research.” She told Eros, a smile still plastered on her face.  
Eros had assumed that after months of no mentioning, everyone had forgotten about the whole ‘human with wings’ thing, but apparently he had been wrong. At least she didn’t seem to be with Devoly. Had she been, Eros had no doubt she wouldn’t be talking to him, they would have just sent someone to kidnap him. Or maybe that’s why she was here, trying to gain Eros’ trust. Devoly had mentioned that he was planning on sending Eros to some woman and for all he knew, this could have been that woman.  
Eros rapidly shook his head and took a few steps back. To his dismay, Dr. Brookes took this as an invitation to take her own steps forward.  
“Of course, we would gladly pay you for your time.” Brookes continued, oblivious to Eros’ discomfort as she moved closer.  
When Eros’ back hit the wall behind him his panic hit a new level and he raised his fists, prepared to strike the woman if she came any closer. She looked at Eros funny and finally hesitated, her smile disappearing. Fawn burst through the door at that moment, looking like he was ready to kill someone. Eros had never seen him angry before and he would have been amused if he wasn’t currently paralyzed by fear.  
“What the hell do you think you are doing in here?” Fawn yelled.  
Dr. Brookes turned to him, looking startled.  
“I was just talking-”  
“You were given permission to speak to him, not corner him in his room!” Fawn snapped at her and she finally began to look embarrassed.  
“I’m sorry, I was just very excited to meet you.” Brookes said and Fawn glared at her.  
“That is not an excuse. You need to leave right now.”  
Eros caught movement from the corner of his eye and looked outside one of the windows in his room. It was nothing more than a bird. It was flying outside, wings catching a gust of wind and gliding effortlessly in one place.   
Eros tuned out the sound of Fawn and Brookes arguing behind him and walked to the window. He watched the bird, taking in the sight of each feather, and felt his own wings ache. He wanted to be outside, to be free, just like that bird was. He wanted to feel the air rush passed him and feel safe as his wings took him up high in the air where no one could get to him.  
“I’ll do it.” Eros said suddenly, not taking his eyes off the bird.  
He could feel Fawn’s surprise as well as Dr. Brookes’ excitement.  
Fawn moved to Eros’ side, “Eros, you don’t need to do this if you don’t feel comfortable.” He murmured.  
“But we are very thrilled you have chosen to do so!” Brookes interjected pointedly.  
Eros turned and faced her. “I have a few conditions.”  
Brookes nodded enthusiastically, “Of course, of course! Don’t worry, we will pay you for your time.”  
Eros shook his head, “I don’t need any money.”  
Brookes looked surprised at that. “Why not?” She inquired.  
“It’s not why I agreed to being studied.” Eros told her before taking a deep breath and continuing. “I will let you do whatever you want as long as you can do it without touching me.”  
Brookes’ smile completely disappeared at that.  
“But… I mean, we need to.” She objected.  
Eros shrugged. “Your choice. As long as I am given a space to fly, you can watch.”  
Brookes considered that, face mixed between thoughtfulness and disappointment. Eventually she grimaced.  
“I suppose that will be sufficient for now… Looks like we have a deal.”  
Eros didn’t like the underlying message that eventually more would be asked for but he said nothing. Brookes gave a smile and shook Eros’ hand with too much vigor and gave Fawn a smug look before exiting the room.  
When she was gone, Fawn turned to Eros.  
“Why did you agree to that? You know they’re just going to poke and prod at you even if they agreed to not touching you.”  
Eros looked at him coolly. “I need to fly. I’m getting restless and I can handle a bit of prodding if it gets me a bit of freedom.”  
Fawn looked pained at that. “You don’t feel free?” He asked.  
“Well I’m not allowed outside am I?” Eros replied bitterly.  
“I brought you outside.” Fawn tried.  
“You snuck me out.” Eros retorted and a few seconds later asked, “Why are you so bothered by this Fawn?”  
“Because I don’t want anyone to mistreat you. I don’t want you to get hurt. I just want you to be happy.”  
Eros smiled and took Fawn’s hand gently.  
“I won't let them do anything I don’t like.” He promised.  
Fawn tried his own smile. He wasn’t happy with it still but he couldn’t change Eros’ mind so he relented.  
When Eros began working with Dr. Brookes and three other researchers of various expertises, Fawn was always there beside him. Their studying in the beginning consisted primarily of asking various questions which were invasive and often made Eros uncomfortable.   
Fawn would become protective as the researchers would often try to touch Eros or convince him to let them take various samples. There would often be arguments as the scientists tried to find a way to remove Fawn from being present, but Eros didn’t care. He was just waiting until he would be allowed to fly.  
That day came a week or so into his becoming the subject of scientific study. He was transported in a van to an empty warehouse where the researchers had set up various tools to record and capture Eros’ flight.  
Eros, having not flown in months, was weary of whether or not he would be able to fly and was grateful for the thick mats which had been placed on the concrete floor. The room was much smaller than the training room he had flown in back on the island but it appeared to be large enough.  
Eros breathed out slowly in anticipation while he waited for the signal to fly from the researchers. Fawn was watching anxiously beside them.  
“You’re good to go!” Brookes told Eros, grinning excitedly.  
Eros turned and took off in a run and jumped into the air. Unfortunately, he hadn’t gained enough speed and his wings were unable to take him far enough off the ground. Eros dropped back onto the ground, barely managing to not fall over.  
Disappointment filled Eros but the researchers didn’t seem to care about his failed attempt, talking excitedly to each other and taking notes. Eros breathed out slowly, trying to calm his nerves when he caught Fawn smiling in amazement across the room. He shouted something across the room and despite the fact that Eros couldn’t make out the words, he knew Fawn was encouraging him to try again.  
Eros felt a gentle warmth fill his body and he focused on it, closing his eyes and visualizing himself running and then flying back towards the other end of the room where the researchers were. He pictured every long stride of his legs gaining enough speed for him to jump high. He pictured his wings unfurling the second his feet left the ground, and he pictured the muscles in his back bringing his wings down hard, taking him up into the air for another stroke of his wings.  
With every image in his mind, Eros ran forward again, this time confident he would be able to fly. When he gained enough momentum, Eros jumped into the air and unfurled his wings. After a few more downward strokes, Eros had gained enough elevation to easily make it over the cheering researchers and their gear.  
Eros couldn’t help but grin and bask in the sensation of flying. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed being in the air and feeling almost weightless. He did his best to memorize every sensation so he could hold onto it when he had to return to the hospital.  
Eros circled around the room a few times as the people standing below watched on in excitement and fascination. He would have stayed up there all day but his body had grown unacquainted with flying and after just a few minutes, his aching muscles forced him to return to the ground.  
He was met with several thrilled scientists, exclaiming their praise and excitement with dramatic gestures and loud volume. Eros was too pleased with himself to be intimidated by the rush of people trying to talk to him and answered the rapid-fire questions. Once the room had calmed down enough for everyone to disperse to their own jobs, Eros was able to make his way over to Fawn who was watching him in unveiled admiration.  
“That was incredible.” He breathed, and Eros gave him a smile.  
“I’m a bit rusty but hopefully with more opportunities to come back here I’ll be able to pick it up again.” Eros told him and Fawn just shook his head in amazement.  
“I’m still having a hard time believing it’s even possible, and here you are already moving on to what you can do better.”  
“If you haven’t seen a man fly before then you need to get out more.” Eros teased.  
“I spend all my working AND free time with the only one who can.” Fawn retorted.  
Eros grinned. Fawn was completely right about that. Eros had grown used to Fawn’s company being almost constant in his life and he was very grateful to have it. Now that Iman was moving forward and couldn’t spend as much of her time with Eros, it was relieving to build a relationship with someone new.  
Fawn was always by Eros’ side, even to the point that his superiors had tried to remove Fawn from Eros’ staff so he could focus on his other patients. The result, thanks to Eros’ threatening, was that Fawn became Eros’ primary caretaker who was paid for only part of the time he spent with Eros. Fawn didn’t mind the reduction in pay, he had grown very attached to Eros and loved watching him grow and recover slowly.  
There were still times where Eros was uncomfortable or regressed in certain areas of being a normal human, particularly in his sleeping and eating. These times were unpredictable and challenging but Fawn was always there beside him to offer comfort, encouragement, praise, and safety.


	8. Chapter Seven

After about eleven months of hospital care, Eros had adjusted to his life almost completely. It certainly wasn’t a normal way of living, but he could do the things most people never thought twice about fearing such as looking others in the eye, speaking without explicit permission, walking where he wanted to- or most places he wanted to- and sleeping without the worry of being kidnapped.  
Actually, he still struggled with that last one. He had been unable to get any information on the group who had attacked him and Iman in Madagascar so long ago and as a result, he never felt safe enough to let his guard down completely. He would still wake up drenched in sweat from nightmares or spend the night pacing the halls of the hospital. It had decreased over time and his anxiety decreased, but it hadn’t fully disappeared.  
Eros had also attempted to leave the hospital without permission a few times. All he had wanted in most cases was a chance to stretch his wings and fly outside, but he was always stopped, and brought back to his room, losing the privilege of coming and going as he pleased for a few days.  
But overall he had recovered quite well and felt he was now ready to move forward.  
Eros was on his way to Dr. Beneke for an appointment, and he was planning on asking to be discharged. He wanted to return to Hawaii, the place he had been born and grown up until he joined the Navy. He was excited by the idea of being back home, even if his mother and father were no longer alive.   
Fawn had let it slip months ago that they were in California, which didn’t come as a surprise to Eros considering the climate and the kind of people in the hospital. California had just enough in common with Hawaii that he felt oddly homesick, and he dreamt about returning. He had saved his money while in the Navy as he didn’t have anything he cared to spend it on and would be willing to get a part time job to live off of if needed. He wasn’t sure who exactly was paying for his stay in the hospital but he definitely wasn’t, so his money had just been sitting for years.  
Eros pushed down the urge to skip as he made his way through the hospital corridors which he had become familiar with. He was going over what he would say to Beneke, and brainstorming a list of reasons why it was a good idea. Although he didn’t think she had any reason to reject it, Eros was also coming up with his responses to potential arguments.  
I have worked hard over this past year on my wellbeing and believe I am ready for the next step of recovery.  
“No.”  
Eros was surprised when Dr. Beneke deadpanned that word to him after he made the request he had been practicing in his head. All the potential arguments he had brainstormed disintegrated into dust and he stood there, staring at Beneke.  
“Why not?” He asked dumbfounded. “You have no reason to keep me here.”  
“You need to stay here so we can continue monitoring you. It is for your own health and safety.”  
Eros raised his eyebrow incredulously. “I’ve been here for a year, I think if there was anything of concern needed to be monitored, we would have found it by now.”  
“Even so, it is better to move forward cautiously.”  
“What’s more cautious than waiting a year to be discharged?” Eros demanded impatiently. “Everyone else has been gone for months, why am I still here?”  
“Vaea, we are just erring on the side of caution.” Beneke told him with infuriating patience.  
“So when can I leave then? One more year?” Eros snapped.  
“I don’t have an exact date, but your cooperation is a factor in determining when it is appropriate for you to leave.”  
“My cooperation?” Eros echoed. He didn’t like how she had phrased that. Eros felt his anxiety return as he was reminded what it felt like to be someone’s captive. He could eat, sleep, and bathe on his own as he wanted here, but he was still unable to control his life. He thought he had finally escaped captivity but now he realized that he had just exchanged one prison for another. From the camp with Nathan and the other guards, to Devoly’s laboratory, to a military prison, and now a hospital where he was once again in a laboratory.  
Eros felt bile rise in his throat and he fled the room before he could hear Dr. Beneke’s response.  
He was angry that she was trying to keep him here but he was mostly angry with himself. He had allowed himself to become so used to being someone’ captive that he hadn’t noticed when he became yet another. He was disgusted by his weakness in how he had caved immediately instead of fighting Beneke.  
Eros returned to his room and slammed the door shut, feeling the walls shudder under the force. He locked himself in the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked pathetic, his eyes filled with unfallen tears, anxiously twitching mouth, and heaving lungs reminders that he was still broken. A sudden rush of anger filled him and he raised his fist, prepared to punch the mirror and send the image of himself into oblivion.  
Then he thought of who would be the most affected by that choice. Fawn would be concerned, then sad, and Eros didn’t want to cause him any pain. After several minutes of breathing heavily, Eros finally lowered his fist in defeat and sank to the floor. He was lost in thought when he heard someone knock on the door, startling him. It was well into the night now and people rarely entered his room in the first place.  
When Eros gathered enough courage to open the door cautiously, he was surprised to see Fawn standing there. He was in a pair of thin sweatpants, a light t-shirt, casual shoes, and his hair was rumpled. Eros had never seen him out of his work clothes and he wondered why Fawn was here as Eros had remembered him leaving for the day.  
Fawn said nothing and simply pulled him into a tight embrace. Eros was still confused and surprised but melted into Fawn’s touch. He hadn’t known that he could feel so safe and comforted by something as simple as a hug. Iman had always hugged Eros because he wanted to be hugged not because she wanted to hug him, and that was the simple difference between the two.  
“What are you doing here?” Eros whispered, still in Fawn’s arms.  
“I came to see if I could do anything for you.” Fawn murmured.  
Eros pulled back finally and looked into Fawn’s eyes. “Did Beneke tell you to come?” He asked bitterly.  
“She told me what happened but I came on my own.” Fawn shrugged.  
“Thank you for coming. I’m sorry I woke you up.” Eros said quietly and Fawn looked at him in confusion.  
“Oh don’t worry, I wasn’t sleeping. I wasn’t even at home.”  
Eros crooked his head. “What were you doing in your pajamas?” He questioned.  
Now Fawn looked confused. “These aren’t my pajamas.”  
Eros raised an eyebrow disbelievingly, looking Fawn’s outfit over. “Oh really, then what were you doing before you came here?”  
“I was at a nightclub.”  
Eros choked on a laugh. “That’s what you wore?”  
Fawn narrowed his brows. “Oh what, are you suddenly the winged gay goddess of nightclub fashion?” He demanded.  
“You don’t need to be any of those things to pick out a better outfit than this.” Eros retorted teasingly.  
Fawn gave a mock look of offense. “How dare you. This is my favorite outfit.”  
“And how many times has someone given you their number while you’ve worn it?”  
Fawn brought his hand to his chin and considered that thoughtfully. “A grand total of two” he decided with a nod.  
“It says ‘I’m hungover before I’ve started drinking’” Eros smirked.  
“How dare you?” Fawn let out a dramatic and yet very hushed ‘roar’ of anger and before Eros could do anything, he was lifted off his feet into Fawn’s arms and carried to his bed. He couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling out his mouth but he also didn’t want to disturb nearby guests so he pressed his face into the crook of Fawn’s neck to silence his own laughter. Fawn rose Eros into the air, pretending he was going to throw him onto the bed, but lowered him gently instead.  
They laughed at each other for a few more minutes before Fawn turned out the light and turned to leave the room.  
“Fawn, will you stay with me tonight?” Eros called out before he could stop himself.  
Fawn looked surprised but smiled. “Considering I live twenty minutes away and my workday starts in six hours, I guess I might as well stay.”  
“Drinking on a worknight?” Eros asked, unimpressed.  
“No drinking.” Fawn promised and moved to one of the plush chairs.  
“It’s more comfortable in here.” Eros told him before he could stop himself and felt heat rise in his cheeks.  
Luckily Fawn was not perturbed and moved to the side of Eros’ bed, removing his shoes while Eros scooted over before Fawn joined him.  
For a few minutes neither said anything.  
“Good thing you wear pajamas when you go out.” Eros teased, breaking the silence and making Fawn laugh.  
“I like to make sure I’m always prepared in case I’m invited into bed.” He winked and Eros snorted, turning onto his side and looking out the window.  
“Tell me, do you remember which one is the big dipper?” He asked Fawn quietly.  
He had spent many sleepless nights talking to Fawn about the different constellations and their stories. Unfortunately, Fawn found it very challenging to recognize which stars belonged to what constellation so Eros had to start with the easiest.  
“Ummm… That one.” Fawn pointed.  
“You know, pointing at the stars is a useless way of sharing which one you are looking at.” Eros chided. “I can’t see what you're pointing at unless I can see from your perspective.”  
“Then come closer.”  
Eros scooted himself backwards into Fawn who wrapped his arm around Eros, pointing at the stars he could make out beyond the window. Eros murmured praise and began telling Fawn about the other stars in the sky, receiving quiet hums every so often. When they were both about to fall asleep, well into the night, Eros craned his neck and placed a soft kiss on Fawn’s cheek before falling asleep in his safe embrace.

A few hours later as the sun began to rise, Eros felt Fawn begin to wake up. Although the two had fallen asleep together, Eros woke up every time Fawn moved, and had never been able to sleep when night became dawn but he had stayed still, not wanting to wake Fawn.  
When Fawn had woken up more he mumbled a ‘Good morning’ to Eros before getting out of bed. Eros followed and the two ate breakfast in the cafeteria together.  
After breakfast, Eros walked with Fawn to the main room in which Eros was studied. The researchers were not quite ready but Dr. Brookes beckoned Eros over to a corner of the room.  
Fawn moved to follow but Brookes shook her head. Eros and Fawn both hesitated, exchanging glances, before Eros gave a nod and followed Brookes.  
“Vaea, being able to work with you has been the most incredible experience in my life.” Dr. Brookes began and Eros couldn’t help but smile.  
As annoying as she was in the beginning and could still be, Eros had learned it was due to love of her work rather than any ill-will and he tried to be patient with her.  
“But,” She continued, “We are unable to progress in our research without certain… permissions.”  
Eros eyed her suspiciously. “What kind of permissions?”   
“I know you objected when we first began, but if we could just take certain samples from you, or perform certain physical evaluations, then-”  
“No.” Eros interjected firmly, the smile gone from his face.  
Brooke’s own face fell at that but she tried again.  
“I promise you we wouldn’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with, and it would be incredibly helpful for-”  
“No” Eros repeated, suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder.  
He jerked to his side, almost expecting to see Devoly with a syringe, but it was just Fawn. Eros sighed in relief, Fawn was always there when the scientists wouldn’t take Eros’ ‘no’ as an answer.  
“Maybe you should consider it Eros.”  
Eros turned to Fawn in surprise and felt a twinge of betrayal at those words. Fawn was always the first one to defend Eros against anything he was uncomfortable with, and he had never tried to push Eros into anything with the researchers.  
Eros turned his glare to Fawn who raised his hands in a gesture to ‘hold on’.  
“What if you let them do what they want, with some exceptions of course, and- wait, just listen!” Eros was shaking his head. “They get the information they want from you, and in return, you get to move to Hawaii.” Fawn finished.  
Eros paused, intrigued by the idea. He hadn’t thought of that before.   
“If I can be discharged and move to Hawaii then you can do whatever you want.” He agreed.  
Brookes looked less than thrilled however, looking around helplessly before telling Eros to return to his room while they thought it over.  
Eros hesitated, but Fawn gave him a nod of encouragement, guiding Eros back to his room.  
“Thank you.” Eros murmured.  
“I know how much it means to you.” Fawn told him, looking slightly pained.  
“What’s wrong?” Eros asked gently as they walked down the hallway to Eros’ room.  
“Obviously I’m excited for you.” Fawn told him, “It's just…. I’m going to miss you.”  
Eros froze at that. He had somehow missed the fact that if he left, he would be leaving Fawn behind.  
He turned to Fawn and opened his mouth as they entered his room but was interrupted by the sight of Iman standing in the room.  
Eros gave Fawn a ‘We are not done talking about this’ look before moving to Iman with a smile, pushing down his sadness as Fawn left the room to give them privacy.  
Iman had kept in contact with the surviving SEALs and updated Eros on what they were up to whenever she visited.  
“Thabo is starting a family with his new girlfriend already. Montoya is still working at that ridiculous restaurant for angsty military recruits. Lenny got fired from another job. Yaya is still living with his brother. Devin managed to pick up a new job which is technically not for civilians, however an exception was made for him.”  
“What’s the job?” Eros asked curiously.  
“He’s actually working with an intelligence team in tracking down everyone involved with Devoly,” Iman told Eros who was surprised.  
“That’s… Incredible!” Eros exclaimed, “Any success so far?”  
“It’s classified, sorry.” Iman frowned, “I swear I would tell you but I promise I’ll break the rules a bit if anything interesting happens.”  
Eros studied Iman’s face. “Are you working with them as well?” He finally demanded.  
Iman kept a stoic face, “Yes,” She admitted finally.  
“You told me you were working a boring part-time job!” Eros exclaimed incredulously.  
“I didn’t lie.”  
Eros snorted. “Only you, Iman, would describe a job of hunting down sadistic international human traffickers as ‘boring’.”  
Iman rolled her eyes. “It really is. Trust me, the most exciting occurrence was a ‘bring your kid to work’ day two months back.”  
“Oh, and how was that?” Eros teased.  
“I didn’t go to work that day.” Iman told him, casually examining the empty air next to her.  
Eros laughed. “That’s probably for the best.”  
He and Iman chatted for almost an hour, Eros mostly talking, switching between talking about his dull life in the hospital or asking questions about Iman which were answered without much detail or enthusiasm. When it was time to leave, Eros made Iman promise to let him know if anything exciting happened and Iman retorted by telling Eros that the chances of excitement at work were just as likely as Fawn getting Eros pregnant.  
Fawn entered the room at that moment and Eros blushed while Iman wiggled her eyebrows mischievously in a very un-Iman-like fashion. Fawn looked between the two curiously.  
“Who’s pregnant?” He asked.  
“Eros.” Iman deadpanned before leaving the room, calling out bye to Eros as she left.  
Fawn was still looking confused, staring at Eros.  
“I’m not pregnant.” Eros informed him.  
Fawn shook his head and grinned, “Well this news might get you pregnant.”  
Eros wrinkled his nose, “What the fuck does that even mean?”  
Fawn just continued to smile, “Your request to be discharged to Hawaii got approved.”  
Eros stared at him in astonishment. He couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t been long at all and he hadn’t expected a positive result. His body froze and he said nothing as Fawn came closer. Eros just continued to stare before it hit him that he would finally be free.  
Before Fawn could say anything, Eros jumped into his arms, wrapping his legs around Fawn’s hips and planting a long-awaited kiss on his lips.


	9. Chapter Eight

The next few days were filled with excitement, dread, and hours of planning.  
With the help of a man who Eros still had no idea what his job was, he had found a house which would suit Eros’ needs. It was in an isolated part of the main island on a hill which overlooked the beach, an impressive find which Eros couldn’t afford, but didn’t have to worry about as the extra costs would be covered. It was far enough from others that Eros had privacy, but close enough to a city with a decent hospital where the researchers would have the tools they needed.  
A few of the most interested and enthusiastic researchers, not surprisingly including Dr. Brookes, would be transferring to Hawaii to continue their research, while the others stayed behind with various samples which Eros would provide before he left.  
Eros spent his last few weeks in a blur of excitement, telling Iman about his plans and spending as much time as he could with Fawn, trying to ignore the dread he felt over the idea of leaving him behind.  
The morning Eros was leaving for Hawaii he was incredibly jittery with excitement which was doused when he discovered that Fawn wasn’t at the hospital.  
“Hey Reinfield, do you know where Fawn is?” Eros asked after searching for him at some of his usual spots, only to run into his old nurse.  
“No, I haven’t, he hasn’t come in today.” She told him apologetically.  
Eros frowned and after another unsuccessful sweep of the hospital, returned to his room to gather his few belongings. They were all items which Fawn had bought for Eros with his own money. He packed his belongings easily and spent the rest of his time wondering the hospital, thinking of Fawn and wondering where he was.  
When a small group led by Dr. Brookes found Eros to leave, he felt strong disappointment that he wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye to Fawn. He had been so focused on planning that he hadn’t spent the time he should have with him.  
They travelled in a van, Dr. Brookes chatting animatedly with her co-workers while Eros slipped into numbness. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave anymore if it meant leaving Fawn behind.  
When they made it to the jet which would be transporting them, Eros followed behind the others who were oohing and ahhing, less-than-thrilled about leaving California. It had been all he could think about for the last six years to return to Hawaii and he had never thought there would be anything important enough to stop him.  
But Fawn was that important.  
There’s nothing stopping me from staying here Eros realized. He thought it over as he walked to the jet, climbing the stairs with a new plan in mind.  
“I’m sorry but I can’t go.” Eros called out when he made it inside. “I know we spent all this time planning but I need to stay.” Everyone looked at Eros incredulously.  
“Is it because of Fawn?” Dr. Brookes asked smugly and Eros blushed, realizing how ridiculous he would sound if that was what he told them.  
“No, of course not! It’s just that- I mean everything is already set up here-”  
“Damn, I was really looking forward to you showing me your favorite places.” Someone standing in front of Eros interrupted.  
Eros looked up and was astonished to see Fawn smiling at him, a bag in one arm and suitcase in the other hand.  
“Fawn?” Eros asked dumbly.  
“Man with wings?” Fawn returned.  
Without a word, Eros crossed the little space between them and grabbed Fawn into his arms. Fawn dropped his luggage and placed his arms around Eros while everyone else slowly began moving again, assuming that Eros’ desire to stay had diminished.  
“You’re coming with me.” Eros breathed in disbelief.  
“Of course I am.” Fawn told him. “You still haven’t taught me what I’m supposed to wear to a club.”  
Eros chuckled. “And that is worthy of moving to another state?”  
“Well I can’t let anyone else get you pregnant, now can I?” Fawn teased and Eros broke away immediately, a hot blush on his face.  
“You know I can’t get pregnant, right?”  
“But Iman said-”  
“I. Can’t. Get. Pregnant.”  
“... Damn, well I guess there’s no point in me coming then.” Fawn joked, pretending to get ready to leave.  
“I thought you wanted me to show you all my favorite spots in Hawaii?” Eros pouted.  
“Oh that too, but I was talking about your favorite places as in the places that,” Fawn paused to brush his hand down the small of Eros’ back, dipping dangerously low, “excite you.”  
“There are other people here who are ready to leave.” Dr. Brookes complained, snapping Eros and Fawn out of their own little world and making the two blush furiously. Eros muttered some unintelligible apology as he scrambled to sit while Fawn took care of his luggage.

Hours later, the jet landed and Eros was first out the door, stepping onto the soil of his childhood home. The air was humid, warm, and sweet. The sun shone brightly on the trees which were swaying gently, beckoning Eros towards them with welcoming branches and although Eros couldn’t see it, he could hear ocean waves crashing on the beach in the distance.  
Fawn joined Eros outside, smiling at the happiness which was clearly written on Eros’ face. He came to Eros’ side and wrapped his arm around Eros’ shoulder. They didn’t speak to each other, choosing to simply stand together and take in their new surroundings. Everyone else began exiting and unloading, brushing off their sleep and replacing it with excitement.  
After a few minutes, Eros and Fawn broke apart and joined the others who were waiting in a ready vehicle. Eros sat and listened as Fawn and Dr. Brookes chatted with everyone, a wave of peacefulness washing over him. He tuned out their voices and watched the landscape outside the window simultaneously fade and transform into new sights as they drove.  
The isolated rural area soon became suburbs, then a small town, before a city came into their sights. Eros felt as though he was on a field trip with toddlers as the researchers pointed at various buildings, shouting to each other and waiting in anticipation to explore their new temporary home.  
A man sitting beside the driver pointed out a small hospital informing everyone that it would be their new place of work and five minutes or so after passing it, they stopped at the housing for the researchers. Everyone besides Eros and Fawn were dropped off at a modest condominium and they called out their goodbyes while moving to examine their new place of living.  
It was much more quiet with the three researchers gone, leaving Eros and Fawn alone with the driver and the man beside her. Although this was not the town Eros had grown up by, he pointed out various things which reminded him of it and quietly told Fawn about them. Ten minutes later, the city began to fade back into a smaller town, and then back into an isolated rural land where Eros would be living.  
The house Eros had chosen was quite small. The main floor had a small kitchen and sitting room as well as stairs to the second floor where the bedroom and bathroom were. Most of the walls had been replaced by floor-to-ceiling windows strong enough to withstand the power of a hurricane, and Eros had made sure that there were possible escape routes in each room. The house was surrounded by large trees which, along with the house’s isolation, gave Eros the privacy needed for him to be allowed to fly outside.  
He wasn’t too thrilled about the cameras which had been installed in the house as he wanted his own privacy but he had been promised they were just a precaution and wouldn’t be viewed unless in the case of an emergency.  
Fawn joined Eros in the brief tour of his house and would have stayed the rest of the day but the driver and her assistant got impatient and told Fawn they needed to take him back to the other researchers.  
“I’ll make them leave so I can spend the night if you need me to.” Fawn murmured to Eros who shook his head.  
“You’ll definitely be spending nights here, but I think I should spend tonight on my own.” Eros told him, slightly apologetic.  
Fawn gave him an understanding smile and a quick peck on the cheek before he left.  
Once they were out of sight, Eros immediately ripped off his shirt, ran, and took off into the air. He flew past his house and over the cliffside which led to the long, empty beach below. First, Eros flew as high as he could, quickly gaining elevation until the warm island air became cool and he could see his breath in the air. He hovered in place, looking down at the small beach below and the even tinier house on the cliff.  
The sun was starting to set, sending the clouds which were well above Eros into an array of fiery warm colors. Eros’ first sunset as a completely free man.  
Glee shot through Eros and he grinned before angling his body into a steep dive and heading straight for the water below. The rush was exhilarating and Eros was almost tempted to let himself fall completely, but he extended his wings enough to gradually catch the air and decrease the decline of his flight until he was flying parallel to the water.  
He turned so he was flying out further into the water, flying as low as he dared. Once Eros could barely make out the distant shore behind him under the quickly-darkening sky, he turned around by angling the left side of his body downward, barely catching the top of a wave.  
Wanting to see how fast he could fly, Eros pushed his wings up and down in smoothe, powerful stroke, gaining momentum until he felt as though he was flying as fast as he had been when falling. He closed his eyes briefly, listening to the sound of waves which he could barely make out passed the rush of air. When he opened his eyes, he was back on the beach and slowed down until he was hovering just above the sand before landing gently.  
Eros took off his shoes and felt the soft still-warm sand settle between his toes. He laid down a few minutes later and stared up at the night-sky as stars slowly came forward, some shining bright and proud whereas others were more shy and harder to spot. Eros swept his eyes across the sky over and over, remembering the story of each one and relishing in the sensation of familiarity.  
Eros lost track of time and would have spent all night outside but he was shirtless, wearing only thin shorts, and the beach had long-since lost the warmth of the sun. He stood up and brushed the sand off his body before looking for a way to get up to his house. Obviously he could have flown, but he was hoping that there would be a way for Fawn to join him in the future.  
Eros spotted a rugged pathway between the rocky cliffside and the trees beside it and made his way up it until he made it to the top. He did a quick sweep of the property and the inside of the house before locking every door and window and falling at last into his new bed. Despite the excitement which was still prominent in his head, Eros also felt incredibly calm and was able to fall asleep quickly.

The next few weeks, Eros was able to settle into a new routine. He always woke up early and flew around for an hour or so until the sun began to rise. Three days a week he would use the darkness to fly to the hospital where he worked with the researchers for several hours. At the end of the testing and studying, Fawn would drive Eros back home and spend most of the day with him.  
As Eros’ primary caretaker, Fawn was only required to monitor Eros four days a week but he came nearly every day.  
Fawn would bring Eros his requested groceries once a week and Eros would use them to cook lunch everyday which they ate together. Most days Eros was unable to get himself to eat anything for breakfast so Fawn always tried to get Eros to finish his lunch. Eros could stomach most foods now that he was cooking them, but still found it challenging to eat meat as it would always give him flashbacks of distorted human bodies and raw flesh.  
Dinnertime was even more challenging. Eros still cooked most nights but they were the hardest because the evening always reminded him of the guards who had amused themselves with Eros’ body each night. Most nights Eros could handle the fear, but sometimes he would fly into the trees outside and spend hours just sitting in them until he felt safe enough to come down.  
Similarly, sometimes when Fawn would come to Eros’ house, he would find that Eros had locked himself inside, anxiously afraid that someone was going to try and kidnap him.  
These times were quite rare, but hard for both of them. Fawn would do his best to console Eros but sometimes he just needed to be alone and fly to feel as if he was safe, which Fawn respected.  
During the days when Fawn was working, as he had taken up a part time job at the same clinic where he worked with the researchers, Eros would spend his time talking to Iman and Devin and sometimes the other SEALs. They would catch up and Eros would always ask for updates from Iman about how her job was going, which she would still avoid giving any details on. Sometimes Eros called just to make sure everyone was okay, and he would feel better from seeing their faces, although he still missed Iman terribly.  
Although Eros was comfortable using the laptop Fawn had given him to see his friends and talk to them, he refused to use it for anything else, and similarly, the large TV in the main floor sitting room went unused. He wasn’t sure why they both made him so uncomfortable but assumed it must have been some sort of residual fear of being in the monitor room in the guard’s shack back on Devoly’s island.  
When the stars came out, Eros would always go down to the beach and stare up at them with amazement which never faded. Fawn would join him most nights and sometimes he would spend the night at Eros’ house, holding him more and more as Eros grew more comfortable with being touched.  
Although Eros felt more comfortable with Fawn than anyone else, they moved forward quite slowly and at first, only Eros could initiate a kiss. Most of the time he only felt comfortable enough with Fawn kissing him if he was outside, where he could fly away if he felt unsafe. As time went on, and they explored each other's bodies more, Eros felt safe.  
Eros still had a part time sleeping for more than four or five hours and still had bad nights, but Fawn was always there to talk to Eros and calm him down enough so he could be held and comforted.


	10. Chapter Nine: End

After several months of simply not spending any time at his own house, Fawn moved in with Eros, and after a year of Eros’ cooperation, the researchers were satisfied with their work. To fill the free time, Fawn took up a full-time position at the hospital as a nurse, but he still had plenty of time which he spent with Eros.  
As a gift to Eros, Fawn paid for a custom treehouse to be built at the top of one of his favorite trees. There was no built way to get up there, much to the confusion of the builder, which made it the perfect hide-away for Eros who could easily fly up into it. After getting permission from Eros to join him in the treehouse a few times, Fawn learned how to climb the tall tree quite efficiently, but would always respect Eros’ space if he needed it.  
The treehouse was small and camouflaged and gave Eros the ability to see from every side, so he always felt safe when he was in it.  
Years later, Eros would still have bad days, but they decreased and Fawn was always there to comfort and hold him. Eros felt happy, and he felt much more safe once Devin and Iman gave him the news that a specialist team had taken out the woman who had been the main key to breaking down anyone related to Devoly. Iman had told him that she was the one who had sent those people after them in Madagascar long ago, and knowing that, made Eros’ fear of being taken back diminish incredibly.  
“What are you thinking about?” Fawn asked Eros as they sat in the doorway of the treehouse, watching the stars.  
Eros turned and smiled at Fawn. “I’m thinking about how three years ago, I never would have dreamed I would be in this position.”  
Fawn gently pulled Eros into his arms and laid back against the doorframe. “I love you Eros,” He whispered.  
“I love you too.”  
While in the arms of the man who he loved and depended on, who had made his life incredible, Eros felt free.


End file.
